Kang Kyung-hwa, the South Korean ambassador to the U.S., stated that her government is monitoring the potential for revived North Korea-U.S. dialogue in light of President Trump's upcoming visit to China.
On March 24, South Korea's Ambassador to the U.S., Kang Kyung-hwa, remarked on the importance of monitoring the evolving dynamics surrounding North Korea-U.S. relations, particularly in the context of President Trump's anticipated visit to China at the end of March to early April. During a press briefing at the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, Kang highlighted the multiple factors influencing the situation, including the Russia-Ukraine war, U.S.-China relations, and North Korea-China relations. She emphasized that the South Korean embassy is maintaining continuous communication with the White House's National Security Council and the State Department to stay abreast of North Korea's internal and external developments while discussing policy directions towards North Korea.
Kang indicated that although the U.S. has asserted that there will be no change in its North Korea policy, and it will ensure that no surprises arise for South Korea, the actual likelihood of any North Korea-U.S. contact during Trump's visit to China appears slim at this time. Notably, any significant movements related to North Korea have yet to be identified ahead of this diplomatic engagement. In a related note, Kang mentioned that the visit of Jeong Yeon-du, South Korea's chief nuclear envoy in the ongoing discussions with the U.S., is not directly connected to the upcoming visit from the Trump administration.
Additionally, the ambassador addressed the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court deeming tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as illegal, specifically regarding the Trump administration's immediate implementation of a 10% tariff based on Trade Act 122. Kang asserted that South Korea will respond in ways that best serve its national interests, indicating that the timeframe for Trade Act 122, being limited to 150 days, allows room for further actions under different legal frameworks as investigations regarding South Korea are anticipated. The U.S. Trade Representative has suggested that investigations into major trading partners, including South Korea, could commence, particularly focused on digital goods and services, highlighting a critical moment in U.S.-South Korea trade relations that may affect their diplomatic negotiations.
