The presidential office reiterated that Seoul will not open its agricultural and livestock markets further to American imports, amid speculation in the United States about a possible opening of the South Korean rice market.

At a press briefing on Friday, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said 99-point-seven percent of the country's agricultural and livestock markets are already open to U.S. imports, and that Seoul has no intention of opening the remaining zero-point-three percent.

The spokesperson said, while there could be changes to the specific items or simplification of Seoul's inspection and quarantine procedures, there will be no further opening, adding that there may have been some misunderstanding on the American side.

Kang reaffirmed that expanding the scope of market opening for rice, as well as other agricultural and livestock products, will not be on the table during future consultations.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said South Korea has agreed to open its auto and rice markets to American imports in exchange for reducing the U.S. reciprocal and auto tariffs to 15 percent.