The top officials in charge of industrial policy in South Korea and the United States have agreed to establish a channel for working-level discussions on issues related to the latest U.S. tariffs and cooperation in shipbuilding.  
 
According to Seoul’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Friday, industry minister Ahn Duk-geun held talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington on Thursday. 

The ministry said Ahn asked the U.S. to exempt South Korea from its new tariffs during the one-hour meeting, which also included Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong, South Korea’s top envoy to the United States. 

The two sides reportedly discussed bilateral cooperation in shipbuilding and agreed to form a channel for working-level discussions on the new U.S. tariffs. 

The meeting comes as the U.S. plans to impose 25 percent tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, as well as reciprocal tariffs on all its trading partners.