Anchor: Seoul has stepped up efforts to finalize a trade deal with the U.S., sending its finance minister, director of national policy and trade minister to Washington. As the high-level negotiations continue, U.S. President Donald Trump remains adamant that South Korea pay its pledged 350 billion U.S. dollar investment up front.
Kim Bum-soo has more.

Report: The latest round of tariff discussions has kicked off between South Korea and the United States, and the issue on the table is the method by which Seoul will deliver the 350 billion U.S. dollars it pledged to Washington in exchange for lower levies.

Seoul maintains that it will only agree to invest such a massive amount in dollars if the package includes a currency swap with Washington as a safeguard.

Speaking to reporters after arriving in the U.S. on Thursday, Director of National Policy Kim Yong-beom hinted that the two sides could be nearing an agreement. 

[Sound bite: Director of National Policy Kim Yong-beom (Korean-English)]
"This is a time when both countries are negotiating in a most serious and constructive atmosphere, so I hope that the negotiations will conclude successfully in a way that benefits our national interests. I will do my best in that direction…."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters the previous day that an accord could come "in the next ten days," and that if he were chairing the U.S. Federal Reserve, South Korea would already have a currency swap deal.


[Sound bite: Director of National Policy Kim Yong-beom (Korean-English)]
"We've also told [the U.S.] that the South Korea-U.S.summit on the sidelines of the APEC is very important, and we're also looking forward to it. As for the U.S. expectation of a result in ten days, it's not a bad sign, as they're likely scrutinizing our negotiations. We hope the U.S. will be more flexible in reflecting our position."

While key officials are spurring efforts to finalize the details of their tariff deal, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated a previous claim that South Korea had agreed to pay 350 billion dollars "up front".

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said Bessent understands that such an upfront payment could undermine the stability of South Korea's foreign exchange market, but that it remains unclear if Trump will be persuaded. 

In July of this year, the United States agreed to lower its tariff on South Korean imports to 15 percent from its previous 25 percent in exchange for an investment pledge of 350 billion U.S. dollars. 

However, the two sides have not yet hammered out their differences regarding the method of investment and profit distribution.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.