Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Dukgeun Ahn of the Republic of Korea visited Washington D.C. from February 26–28 (local time), where he met with U.S. government officials and lawmakers to discuss bilateral trade issues, including U.S. tariff measures, and ways to bolster cooperation between the two countries.
Minister Ahn met with Senator Mark Kelly, co-sponsor of the Ships for America Act, and discussed steps to further strengthen Korea-U.S. cooperation in shipbuilding. Minister Ahn also held meetings with Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) President and CEO John Hamre and Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) President Adam Posen, where he exchanged views on effectively addressing bilateral trade issues and requested support for facilitating intergovernmental cooperation.
During his meeting with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Minister Ahn discussed ways to boost their partnership in strategic areas such as shipbuilding and advanced industries, while also articulating the concerns of Korean businesses and requesting Korea’s exclusion from U.S. tariffs. Both sides agreed to establish working-level consultation channels for discussions on tariff measures and cooperation in shipbuilding, through which the Korean government intends to continue its dialogue with relevant U.S. authorities in the interest of Korean businesses. Minister Ahn also held talks with U.S. Secretary of the Interior and National Energy Dominance Council Chairman Doug Burgum and United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer on enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation in the energy and trade sectors, respectively.
Minister Ahn stated that this visit served as an opportunity to lay the foundation for further cooperation with the new U.S. administration. Citing successful prior engagement with the U.S. on measures such as the IRA and CHIPS Act, Minister Ahn emphasized that the Korean government “will respond proactively to newly announced U.S. policies through structured and genuine consultations to achieve the best possible outcomes.”