Acting President Choi Sang-mok reportedly said South Korea and the United States can strive for a “more balanced and mutually beneficial” relationship on trade and economics, which would ultimately upgrade the alliance. 

The acting president made the remarks in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Wednesday, saying the Seoul government, together with the private sector, is fully prepared for the efforts. 

The report came as global tariffs of 25 percent took effect for all steel and aluminum imported into the United States.

Mentioning U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent claim that South Korea charges the U.S. tariffs that are four times higher than vice versa, the report said Choi worries that Trump’s attention will soon turn to South Korea. 

The U.S. newspaper said Choi, who hasn’t spoken with Trump, desperately wants to, quoting Choi as saying that if given the opportunity, he would emphasize that the trade surplus with the U.S. is temporary.

The acting president reportedly told the Journal that given the country’s historical stance and national interests, it would not be beneficial to take measures that hinder trade expansion and that countries like Mexico and Canada are not suitable benchmarks for South Korea’s trade strategy.