South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong on Tuesday departed for his second trip to the U.S. in ten days to seek an exemption for Seoul from proposed steel tariffs.  

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said that during the four-day visit, Kim plans to meet with senior officials and lawmakers, including U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

During a five-day trip last week, the minister met with Gary Cohn, director of the White House National Economic Council, and U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, as well as lawmakers and industry people to discuss trade issues.

During last week's meetings, Kim reportedly explained that South Korea's imports of Chinese steel do not target the U.S. market, noting that among Korean steel exports to the U.S., a mere two-point-four percent use Chinese materials.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and ten percent on aluminum imports this week.