Seoul’s presidential office has revealed that the government has requested Washington to exempt South Korea from U.S. tariffs on foreign steel imports. 

Presidential Spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in a media briefing on Friday that national security adviser Chung Eui-yong made the request during a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis at the Oval Office on Thursday. 

Chung’s request was known to have been instructed by President Moon Jae-in before Chung and National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon left for the U.S. to brief U.S. President Donald Trump on their meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang earlier this week. 

Kim said Chung relayed the request as a separate issue from their main mission of relaying Pyongyang’s messages to the U.S., pointing to an ironclad Seoul-Washington alliance and its importance. 

According to the South Korean spokesman, both Mattis and U.S. National Security Adviser Herbert McMaster, who was also present at the meeting, positively responded to the request, saying they will actively consider it. 

Earlier on Thursday, Trump signed proclamations imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a ten percent tariff on aluminum imports in a bid to boost U.S. industries. Washington said the tariffs will take effect in 15 days.