Kim pledged an all-out effort to smoothly wrap up the talks as August 1, the date when the US has said its “reciprocal” tariffs will take effect, approaches, the ministry said.

South Korea’s national security adviser, Wi Sung-lac, has headed to Washington, authorities said on Sunday, and media reports have said other ministers including Kim could also travel to the US this week to sit down with their counterparts.

Wi told Hankyoreh newspaper before flying to the United States that his goal was to lower tariff rates.