▲ Park Jong-han (R), deputy foreign minister for economic affairs, speaks with Jonathan Fritz, principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Jan. 29, 2026, in this photo provided by the ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

S Korea-US-economic talks

S. Korea, U.S. discuss joint fact sheet, visa cooperation

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Yonhap) -- Senior diplomats of South Korea and the United States discussed Thursday implementing their joint summit agreements and strengthening cooperation on U.S. visa matters for South Korean workers, the foreign ministry said.

The talks took place between Park Jong-han, deputy foreign minister for economic affairs, and Jonathan Fritz, U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, the ministry said in a release.

Fritz was visiting Seoul this week for follow-up talks on U.S. visa reform to better support Korean workers entering the U.S. under a working group established after the arrest and detention of more than 300 Korean workers in a U.S. immigration crackdown in Georgia last year.

Thursday's meeting also came as Seoul is seeking to reassure Washington of its commitment to the US$350 billion investment in the U.S. after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of a tariff hike for South Korea, citing little legislative progress at the National Assembly.

"Deputy Minister Park reaffirmed the government's will to faithfully implement the follow-up steps from the South Korea-U.S. summits, suggesting that the two countries continue close communication between their diplomatic authorities," the ministry said.

Park also asked for Washington's continued support to ensure smooth business exchanges for Korean companies investing in the United States, it added.

At the visa working group talks on Wednesday, the U.S. said it has created a new criterion for "specialized trainers" for short-term B-1 business visa applications, a move expected to add clarity to visa eligibility.

South Korean businesses have cited unclear U.S. visa rules as a reason for confusion among employees when traveling to the U.S. on business.

The two sides also discussed efforts to ensure Korean investors can carry out their U.S. investments in a smooth manner, in such areas as shipbuilding and other strategic industries.

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