▲ Rep. Lim Lee-ja (R) of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), who chairs the parliamentary Finance, Economy, Planning and Budget committee, meets with Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 4, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

parliament-US tariffs

Parliamentary committee to hold interpellation session on U.S. tariff talks

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Feb. 4 (Yonhap) -- A parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing a special bill related to South Korea's investment in the United States will hold an interpellation session with government officials later this month to discuss tariff negotiations with Washington, an opposition lawmaker said Wednesday.

Rep. Lim Lee-ja of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), who chairs the National Assembly's Finance, Economy, Planning and Budget Committee, said the PPP and the ruling Democratic Party (DP) have agreed to arrange the session ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, which begins Feb. 14.

"The questioning will focus on the special bill on U.S. investment and the ongoing situation of (negotiations)," Lim told reporters at the National Assembly.

The rival parties will also discuss whether to table the bill at the committee on the day of the session, Lim added.

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol met with committee members to brief them on the ongoing tariff talks with the U.S. and to seek their cooperation in swiftly passing the investment bill, which remains pending at the committee.

The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened last week to raise tariffs on South Korea to 25 percent from 15 percent, citing a delay in the Asian country's legislative process needed for the implementation of a bilateral trade deal reached in November.

Seoul has been stepping up diplomatic efforts to reaffirm its commitment to fulfilling the $350 billion investment pledge and to explain the legislative process for passing the special investment bill, which is currently pending at the parliamentary committee. The bill must clear the panel before being put to a plenary vote.

The DP has said it aims to pass the bill within the month, while the PPP has called for a memorandum of understanding detailing Seoul's $350 billion investment pledge and other key terms to be ratified by the National Assembly.

South Korea's top industry and trade officials have recently held talks with U.S. officials, and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also explained Seoul's commitment to implementing the trade deal during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Tuesday (local time).

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