In response to warnings from the U.S. regarding potential increases in tariffs on South Korean products, the South Korean government is actively preparing for negotiations following the visit of U.S. Trade Representative Deputy, Rick Switzer. His visit comes as concerns grow over the U.S. demands for the easing of non-tariff barriers, including issues related to Google’s map data permissions. On November 11, the head of South Korea's Trade Negotiation Headquarters, Yeo Han-gu, is scheduled to meet with Switzer in Seoul to discuss pressing trade matters.

The discussions will cover several contentious topics, particularly regarding agricultural products, automobiles, online platforms, and map data-related non-tariff barriers claimed by the U.S. Previous agreements from the November summit between South Korea and the U.S. indicated that they intend to officially document their commitment to addressing these barriers within the year at the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Committee. The agreement aimed to ensure that American businesses are not disadvantaged by digital services regulations or unnecessary barriers.

However, the situation is complicated as the U.S. has expressed dissatisfaction with recent South Korean legislative reforms, which they argue adversely affect American tech giants like Google. The South Korean government has refuted claims of discrimination, yet negotiations on non-tariff issues remain stalled. During a recent visit by Yeo to the U.S., he failed to meet with USTR Chief Jamieson Greer and instead received warnings that tariffs would be increased if the non-tariff barriers were not resolved, amplifying the urgency of the upcoming discussions with Switzer.