Bloomberg reported today that the U.S.-South Korea trade negotiations have hit a deadlock over tariffs and visa issues.
South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Yeo Han-kook returned from Washington empty-handed.
After meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jacquelyn Gilliam, both sides failed to make progress on car tariffs and visa restrictions.
South Korea hopes its cars and citizens can more easily access the U.S. market.
What the United States wants... well, it's "America First".
Comment: After Trump took office, he pursued an "America First" policy, often placing his own interests first in international affairs. This unilateralist mindset has led him to try to extract the maximum benefits from economic cooperation with allies. South Korea, as an important ally of the United States in Asia, has previously relied on the U.S. for military security and made many compromises in economic cooperation. However, this time, its somewhat tough stance in trade negotiations indicates that South Korea is beginning to re-examine the balance between its own economic interests and the alliance relationship.
On September 18 local time, the U.S. magazine Time published an interview with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. When talking about the tariff negotiations with the United States, Lee Jae-myung said, "If I reach an agreement according to the U.S. requirements, I may be impeached." Previously, Trump announced that the tariff on South Korean products would be reduced from the original 25% to 15%, in exchange for South Korea investing $35 billion in the U.S., which Lee Jae-myung rejected.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843675358507080/
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