Acting president says S. Korea-U.S. issues can be solved in ‘non-conflicting way’: The Economist

Acting President Han Duck-soo has said South Korea’s trade and security issues with the United States can be solved in a “rather non-conflicting way,” according to British newspaper The Economist.

In an interview with the outlet last week, Han spoke about the “one-stop shop” negotiations U.S. President Donald Trump has pursued with South Korea to simultaneously address trade and security issues.

“Through co-operative negotiations with the United States, we will be able to find some win-win solutions,” Han was quoted as saying in the interview, in an article published Sunday.

He added that South Korea is sure that any problems can be solved in a “rather non-conflicting way.”

On trade, Han said Trump’s tariffs on car and steel imports have been “very painful.” He also said the announcement — then 90-day suspension — of 25 percent “reciprocal” tariffs on South Korea was “shock therapy.”

Han discussed possible cooperation with the U.S. in constructing a gas pipeline in Alaska and reviving the country’s shipbuilding industry, telling the outlet the U.S. “should change” its legal framework governing the sector.

He also noted room for easing South Korea’s non-tariff barriers.

“We have some points on which some improvements can be made,” Han said, citing as an example Google Maps, which in South Korea faces restrictions on the export of high-precision map data.

On Trump’s past threats to withdraw some U.S. troops from South Korea, Han responded that the presence of American forces is “absolutely critical for us.”