South Korea is being pushed out of the priority list as the U.S. speeds up trade negotiations with m..

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EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (left), US President Donald Trump [AFP = Yonhap News]

South Korea is being pushed out of the priority list as the U.S. speeds up trade negotiations with major countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is visiting Scotland, held a “surprise” summit with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the 27th (local time). It was not originally scheduled, but it was reported that the decision was made in a surprise manner after President Trump spoke with Chairman von der Leyen.

On the other hand, concerns are growing that South Korea will not be able to avoid mutual tariffs that expire on the 1st of next month as the “2+2 (Treasury and Trade Minister) negotiations” scheduled for the 25th have been postponed.

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Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan shakes hands with Commerce Secretary Howard Rutnick in the conference room of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC, on the 24th (local time). [Photo = Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy]

According to a Reuters report, US Commerce Secretary Howard Rutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer flew to Scotland on the 26th to attend the US-EU summit. Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan moved to Rutnick’s home on the 26th after negotiating at the Commerce Department building in Washington, D.C. on the 24th, and continued negotiations for the second day, but key figures in the U.S. negotiation team reportedly failed to negotiate follow-up negotiations because they were preparing for the U.S.-EU summit.

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant, the “keyman” of the U.S. trade negotiations, who unilaterally canceled the 2+2 negotiations with South Korea, will hold the third round of trade negotiations with China in Stockholm, Sweden from the 28th to the 29th.

The last chance for South Korea and the U.S. to reach a deal before the deadline for mutual tariff suspension is expected to be on the 31st. Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Strategy and Finance Koo Yoon-chul plans to meet with Besant on the same day. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will also meet with Secretary of State Mako Rubio in Washington on the same day.

President Lee Jae-myung reportedly focused on preparing a strategy by receiving real-time reports from his aides without an official schedule on the 27th.

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The presidential office said, “We confirmed the high interest of the U.S. in the shipbuilding sector, and the two countries decided to create a plan to agree on each other, including shipbuilding cooperation.” In particular, in the field of shipbuilding, cooperation in the construction of local shipyards, technology transfer to help build U.S. warships, and training professionals are reportedly being discussed.

Yongbum Kim and National Security Office Director Wi Sung-rak jointly presided over an emergency meeting on trade issues the previous day. Deputy Prime Minister Koo, Minister Cho, Chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Yoon Chang-ryul and First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism attended the meeting. Minister Kim and Trade Minister Yeo Han-gu reported on the negotiations by video in the U.S.

Earlier, Chairman von der Leyen said he had spoken to President Trump on the 25th and decided to meet in Scotland on Sunday (27th) to discuss Atlantic trade relations and how to keep it strong. The EU announced that Commissioner von der Leyen’s visit to Scotland was made following an “upon invitation to President Trump.”