The trade ministry said Wednesday that it is working to persuade Washington that Seoul should be treated differently from Tokyo in ongoing tariff negotiations.

Speaking at a Korea Industry Alliance Forum event, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said that though the United States may view Korea and Japan similarly due to their comparable trade deficits, indicators such as economic size and foreign exchange structure display clear differences.

Yeo said he was unsure how Japan planned to finance its pledge to invest 550 billion U.S. dollars in the nation's economy, but added that South Korea has been closely reviewing the case.

He stressed that the government is taking the current 25 percent U.S. tariff on Korean automobiles very seriously and pressing for fairer terms.

Yeo warned that U.S. protectionist policies are likely to persist for years and called for the diversification of Korea’s export markets and products, highlighting Southeast Asia as a major growth opportunity.