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| ▲ Prime Minister Kim Min-seok (2nd from R) arrives at Incheon airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 22, 2026, to leave for the United States. (Yonhap) |
PM-US visit
PM departs for U.S. to meet with senior officials, possibly Vance
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Kim Min-seok departed for the United States on Thursday on a visit expected to focus on resolving bilateral trade issues through meetings with senior U.S. government officials, including possibly U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
Kim departed via Incheon airport, west of Seoul, for Washington, without holding a press conference at the airport, which is typical of senior government officials leaving on overseas business trips.
The prime minister's office earlier said he plans to meet with senior U.S. officials, lawmakers and Korean residents during a five-day trip to Washington and New York.
This is his first overseas trip as prime minister and the first solo trip to the U.S. by any prime minister since South Korea's democratization in 1987.
Sources said a meeting with Vance is being arranged, which would allow the two sides to discuss ongoing tariff and trade issues.
Under a deal reached in November, Washington agreed to lower "reciprocal" tariffs on South Korean goods to 15 percent while Seoul committed to invest US$350 billion in the U.S.
A new challenge has emerged, however, as Washington has since announced plans to impose separate tariffs on memory chip makers that do not build facilities in the U.S., putting additional strain on South Korean semiconductor companies.
"This visit is expected to positively contribute to the stable maintenance and strengthening of South Korea-U.S. relations," Kim's office said in a press release Wednesday.
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