Jose Fernandez, the US under secretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, plans to visit South Korea next week for consultations on a range of bilateral economic issues, according to diplomatic sources Friday.

According to the sources, Seoul and Washington are in consultations on details related to Fernandez's trip, probably including a meeting with Lee Do-hoon, Seoul's second vice foreign minister.

The two sides are likely to discuss economic security issues, such as the strengthening of supply chain resilience, bilateral science and technology cooperation, and the easing of discriminatory provisions for Korean-made electric vehicles in the US Inflation Reduction Act.

Fernandez is also expected to visit South Korean information technology and telecom companies to examine their efforts in fostering an infrastructure ecosystem around the Open Radio Access Network.

Open RAN is a new type of wireless communication network that allows greater interoperability among different equipment suppliers in the wake of the increasing presence of Chinese companies, such as Huawei, in the field. (Yonhap)