Anchor: The United States has reportedly asked South Korea not to use products made by Chinese telecom giant Huawei. Saddled between the U.S. and China, Seoul for now is keeping a vague position. 
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: The South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman says Seoul is in discussions with Washington regarding Huawei.

However, the official during the briefing did not confirm if the U.S. has begun lobbying South Korea to not use Huawei's products. 

[Sound bite: S. Korean Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kim In-chul (May 23/Korean)]
"South Korea and the United States have been discussing this issue continuously, but please understand that we cannot reveal the details of the conversation as of now." 

A U.S. State Department official on Thursday declined to comment on "private diplomatic conversations" in response to South Korean media inquiries over the issue. 

The Chosun Ilbo daily reported on Thursday that Washington is lobbying Seoul as the Trump administration is pushing its allies to reject doing business with the Chinese tech giant. 

The Korean newspaper said State Department officials told their counterparts in Seoul at a meeting that South Korean telecommunication service carrier LG Uplus, which uses Huawei products, should "not be allowed to serve in sensitive areas in South Korea." 

Washington has expressed concerns that the Chinese government could use the products for espionage or cyber attacks, a claim which Huawei denied. 

[Sound bite: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo] 
“That’s just false. To say that they don’t work with the Chinese government is a false statement. He is required by Chinese law to do that. The Huawei CEO on that at least isn’t telling the American people the truth, nor the world.” 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNBC in an interview on Thursday that his government has been working to make sure that everyone understands the risk of doing business with Huawei.

[Sound bite: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo]
"We have been working at the State Department to make sure that everyone understands the risk. It’s been really an educational mission as much as everything else."    

While South Korea seeks to keep its position vague, U.K.-based chip designer ARM, Japan's Panasonic and other electronics companies have decided to suspend business with Huawei. 
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.