Acting President Lee Ju-ho called on relevant ministries to do their best in trade negotiations with the United States, seeking to maximize the national interest and achieve mutual benefits for both countries.

Lee made the remarks Monday while presiding over an economic security strategy meeting at the government complex in Seoul, held to discuss future responses to U.S. trade policies.

The acting president called on the ministries to closely monitor the recent U.S.-U.K. trade deal and other similarly positioned countries’ consultations with the U.S. to ensure that South Korea is thoroughly prepared to negotiate. 

He also called on the ministries to continue communicating with the National Assembly and the public throughout the talks.

The meeting also covered the current status of Korea-U.S. minister-level negotiations on the occasion of the APEC Trade Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled for this week.