Seoul: Acting President Han Duck-soo announced that U.S. President Donald Trump has “apparently” instructed his administration to initiate immediate tariff negotiations with South Korea, Japan, and India. Han shared this development during a meeting with government officials and major business executives, following a phone call between him and Trump last week.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Han mentioned that discussions focused on implementing the United States’ reciprocal tariffs and the subjects for negotiation between South Korea and the U.S. “President Trump was very satisfied and apparently gave instructions to hold immediate negotiations,” Han stated. The basis for Han’s remarks remains unclear, but it coincided with White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett’s comments on Fox News highlighting Trump’s prioritization of tariff negotiations with Japan and Korea.

Following these developments, Trump announced a 90-day pause on the implementation of the “reciprocal” tariffs, including a 25 percent tariff for South Korea. Han expressed readiness to communicate directly with Trump if necessary and emphasized the establishment of a negotiating team led by Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun to visit the U.S. soon. Han expects a negotiation framework to be set up swiftly for all sectors, with a videoconference on an LNG project in Alaska anticipated within days.

During their phone call, Han and Trump discussed the possibility of South Korea partnering with the U.S. on building a pipeline from Alaska’s North Slope to transport liquefied natural gas to Asia. Han conveyed confidence in Trump’s agreement to pursue mutually beneficial negotiations.

Business executives present at the meeting urged the government to negotiate for tariff exemptions on equipment needed for establishing manufacturing plants in the U.S. Notable attendees included Samsung Electronics President Kim Won-kyong and Hyundai Motor Vice President Kim Dong-wook.