Officials to Hold More KORUS Consultations Next Month

South Korean and U.S. officials will meet Jan. 5, 2018, in Washington to negotiate potential amendments and modifications to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, after Seoul’s government completed domestic procedures to allow talks to proceed, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said. The meeting will be led by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan, Korea and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group Michael Beeman and South Korea Trade Ministry Director General Myung-hee Yoo. President Donald Trump in June announced a push to update KORUS (see 1706300027). U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in July initiated talks to resolve market access issues for U.S. exports and the U.S.’s trade deficit with South Korea (see 1707130002). The bilateral KORUS Joint Committee has met on Aug. 22 (see 1708220013), and Oct. 4 (see 1710060012).