South Korea’s President Says U.S. Issues Can Be Solved Without Conflict

South Korea’s Acting President Han Duck-soo said trade and security tensions with the United States can be resolved in a “non-conflicting way” through cooperative negotiations, Yonhap and The Economist reported on Sunday.

In an interview with the British newspaper, Han addressed U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach of linking trade and security issues in discussions with South Korea, describing it as a “one-stop shop” negotiation strategy.

“Through cooperative negotiations with the United States, we will be able to find some win-win solutions,” Han was quoted as saying. He added that South Korea is confident any outstanding issues can be solved without conflict.

On trade, Han described Trump’s tariffs on car and steel imports as “very painful” and referred to the announcement — and later 90-day suspension — of a 25% “reciprocal” tariff on South Korea as “shock therapy.”

Han also raised the possibility of greater cooperation with the U.S. on building a gas pipeline in Alaska and reviving the U.S. shipbuilding sector, suggesting that American legal frameworks in the industry “should change” to facilitate progress.

He noted there is also room for South Korea to ease some non-tariff barriers, acknowledging that “some improvements can be made.”

Responding to Trump’s previous threats to withdraw U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula, Han emphasized the importance of their presence, calling American forces “absolutely critical for us.”