Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that ongoing tariff negotiations with South Korea would not be concluded the following day. This statement came as a response to a query regarding the status of trade discussions with South Korea.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump made these comments during a press session after his return from Scotland. The negotiations are critical as South Korean negotiators aim to finalize a trade agreement with the U.S. administration before Friday. This deadline is significant as Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs, which include a 25 percent duty on Korean imports, are scheduled to be enforced unless an agreement is reached.

Trump emphasized, "Negotiations won't be finished tomorrow, but our country is becoming very rich, and that's what we want," as reported by a White House pool report. He further added, "We have to have a rich America. We're taking in a lot of money. We're becoming very strong and very rich."

The President's remarks were in response to a journalist's inquiry about the likelihood of the tariff talks with South Korea concluding by Wednesday. Despite his comments, it remains uncertain whether Trump was addressing the broader tariff negotiations with multiple trading partners or solely focusing on the discussions with South Korean officials.

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had urged South Korean negotiators to present their "best and final" offer at the negotiating table. This was interpreted as a call for South Korea to make necessary concessions to secure a trade deal.