South Korea denies intentional delay in US trade bill amid Trump tariff threat

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has told his US counterpart Marco Rubio that Seoul is not intentionally delaying the legislative process required to fulfill its investment commitments under a bilateral trade agreement with Washington, Yonhap News reported on Friday.

Cho met with US Secretary of State Rubio in Washington on Thursday on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting on critical minerals.

The talks came amid growing pressure from the US, with President Donald Trump recently warning of possible tariff hikes.

"Secretary Rubio said he would frankly share that while the relationship between South Korea and the U.S. is not in a bad situation, the internal climate in the U.S. is not good regarding (South Korea's) implementation of trade-related commitments," Cho said.

He reaffirmed Seoul's "firm" commitment to implementing the deal, rejecting claims that the parliamentary passage of a special investment bill had been deliberately slowed.

Cho also stressed that trade-related differences should not hinder broader cooperation between the allies, particularly on security matters.

"I asked Rubio to encourage relevant U.S. government agencies to ensure that there will be sufficient consultations on three key bilateral agreements on civil nuclear energy, nuclear-powered submarines and shipbuilding," the minister said.

Last month, Trump announced higher tariffs on South Korean goods, accusing Seoul's legislature of failing to approve a previously agreed trade deal. He said tariffs would be raised from 15% to 25% on autos, lumber, and pharmaceuticals.

Trump appeared to be referring to a pending investment bill that the ruling Democratic Party plans to review and vote on next month, seeking bipartisan support from the opposition.

In November last year, Seoul and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding formalizing South Korea's $350 billion investment pledge in exchange for lower US tariffs.

Under the agreement, South Korea is to invest $200 billion in cash installments, capped at $20 billion annually, along with $150 billion for bilateral shipbuilding cooperation. In return, Washington reduced reciprocal tariffs on South Korean imports to 15%, as agreed last July.