Seoul: Acting President Han Duck-soo announced that U.S. President Donald Trump has "apparently" instructed his administration to begin immediate tariff negotiations with South Korea, Japan, and India. Han shared this development during a meeting with government officials and business leaders, highlighting the discussions that occurred following a recent phone call with Trump.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the directive from Trump came after Han and Trump discussed the implementation of U.S. reciprocal tariffs and potential areas for negotiation between the U.S. and South Korea. Han noted that Trump expressed satisfaction with the discussions and seemingly directed his aides to initiate negotiations with South Korea, Japan, and India.

The exact basis for Han's statement remains unclear, but on the same day as the phone call between Han and Trump, Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, indicated on Fox News that Trump prioritized tariffs negotiations with Japan and Korea, two of the U.S.'s closest allies and trading partners. Following this, Trump announced a 90-day pause in the implementation of the reciprocal tariffs, which include a 25 percent tariff for South Korea.

Han further explained that South Korea and the U.S. are expected to establish a comprehensive negotiation framework across all sectors and commence detailed discussions soon. He anticipated a videoconference within the next couple of days to discuss cooperation on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska, a topic previously discussed in his conversation with Trump.

The LNG project involves constructing a pipeline from the North Slope of Alaska, a significant natural gas reserve, to southern Alaska for shipping liquefied natural gas to Asia. Han expressed confidence in President Trump's agreement on conducting mutually beneficial negotiations.