U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk says South Korea and the U.S. are continuing to engage in dialogue on issues related to their bilateral free trade agreement.

During a lecture at Georgetown University in Washington Thursday, the top trade negotiator said the U.S. is looking for new solutions to concerns that have blocked pacts with South Korea and Columbia. He did not elaborate on the possible solutions.

Kirk said the U.S. is working to resolve pending issues with Panama and Colombia before it asks Congress to consider the bilateral trade pacts.

Kirk stressed that the Obama administration’s principle on trade policies focuses on assessing whether any trade negotiation is in the best interest of Americans. Kirk said the U.S. will apply that principle when seeking ways to push forward the ratification of the South Korea-U.S. trade deal.