NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

Minister for Trade Ahn Duk-geun has left for the U.S. in order to deliver Seoul's concerns over the U.S.' inflation reduction act that will exclude electric vehicles assembled in Korea from tax incentives. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Monday that Ahn will meet with U.S. government and congressional officials to discuss the issue during his three-day visit to Washington. Ahn said he will seek to establish a bilateral dialogue channel to resolve the issue. He said South Korea will also work together with the EU. and Japan to persuade the U.S. to revise the act.
North Korea will hold a key parliamentary meeting this week. It will open the seventh session of the 14th Supreme People's Congress on Wednesday to discuss the rural development law and organizational issues. Eyes are on whether or not the North will make a cabinet reshuffle at the upcoming meeting. It is highly likely the regime will name new cabinet members this time, given that it held a general meeting of its ruling party amid the pandemic and replaced many members of its politburo.