Trade ministers from South Korea and the United States agreed to begin bilateral consultation next week centered on six areas, including balanced trade and non-tariff barriers.

According to Seoul's trade ministry, such an agreement was reached Friday during talks between Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

The meeting was held on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) trade ministers' gathering on Jeju Island.

Meeting with local media outlets following the two-way meeting, Ahn said he and Greer had agreed to convene a second session of technical consultation next week in the U.S.

The upcoming consultation is expected to focus on balanced trade, non-tariff barriers, economic security, digital trade, country of origin and commercial consideration.