A senior trade official will visit Alaska soon to review the feasibility of the local liquified natural gas(LNG) project that has emerged as a key issue in bilateral trade negotiations.  

Choi Nam-ho, second vice minister of trade, industry and energy, said Tuesday during a forum in Seoul that working-level negotiations are underway between the two nations and that he will soon visit Alaska for the talks. 

The vice minister said that since automobiles are major export items for both Japan and South Korea, the Alaska LNG project may be included in Seoul’s trade talks for a package deal with the U.S. 

Choi continued that if South Korea can secure significant benefits in talks on the tariffs on automobiles, it could make concessions with regard to the LNG project.  

But the vice minister added that the nation may still see losses if it takes part in the project, so the government has yet to reach a conclusion and is reviewing the matter internally while continuing working-level negotiations.

Choi said that fortunately, the reciprocal tariffs have been suspended for 90 days, providing more time for Seoul to carry out negotiations.

The project aims to transport natural gas produced in northern Alaska to the state’s southern coast via a one-thousand-300-kilometer gas pipeline, then liquefy it before shipping it overseas.