WASHINGTON/ SEOUL -- US President Donald Trump said Friday that the US and South Korea are renegotiating a trade deal, as he began talks with President Moon Jae-in for their first summit in Washington.

“We are renegotiating a trade deal right now as we speak with South Korea and hopefully it will be an equitable deal, a fair deal to both parties,” he said during the one-on-one summit, which began at 10:15 a.m. local time at the White House. 

“We are also in the process of discussing our many options. We have many options with response to North Korea.”

Earlier, while welcoming Moon to the presidential office, Trump also said he wants “something that will be very good for the American worker,” alluding to the free trade agreement which has been in effect since March 2012.

The one-on-one summit between the leaders was to be followed by an extended summit meeting with key cabinet members of the two countries in attendance. Moon and Trump were to hold a joint press briefing once the meetings are over.

Moon and Trump are expected to deal with a range of issues in bilateral relations, as well as developments surrounding the Korean Peninsula. North Korea and its nuclear and missile ambitions are expected to be central to the talks, along with trade issues.

The overall tone of the meeting was set Thursday at a welcoming dinner hosted by the White House. At the dinner, the two leaders reportedly discussed many of the issues raised in the media, ranging from trade issues to North Korea. While South Korea has highlighted security issues and the Korea-US alliance throughout Moon’s five-day visit, Trump has fed speculations that trade issues may be higher on his agenda.

Moon, speaking through a translator, said the previous night had afforded some “very honest discussions on issues that include North Korea.”

“It was an opportunity to reconfirm the fact that the United States and Korea are working together on the same path towards a great alliance,” he added.



By Choi He-suk and Bae Hyun-jung

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)

(tellme@heraldcorp.com)