Seoul, Washington set to hold talks on tariffs and US-China summit

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Seoul this week, with talks expected to focus on US tariff policy and global economic stability, according to the presidential office.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 13, in a protocol visit format, Caliber.Az reports per South Korean media.

After his visit to Seoul, Bessent will travel to China to attend a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled for May 14 and May 15.

According to diplomatic sources, the US Treasury Secretary’s visit to South Korea will last one day.

Observers expect the talks between Lee and Bessent to cover US tariffs and the resilience of global supply chains — issues that are also expected to feature prominently at the upcoming US–China summit.

In addition, Bessent is set to hold separate trade talks in Seoul with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng as part of preparations for the leaders’ meeting.

By Jeyhun Aghazada