[Exclusive]Ex-USTR official warns of tariffs

[Anchor]

On the first day of President Trump's inauguration, the feared tariff imposition did not occur.

However, a former senior official who was in charge of the Korea-U.S. FTA revision negotiations during Trump's first term predicted that the U.S. would raise complaints about the trade situation with South Korea, and that moment would not be far off.

Reporter Park Kyung-jun exclusively interviewed former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Michael Beeman.

[Report]

Michael Beeman, former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, led the Korea-U.S. FTA revision negotiations seven years ago.

On the first day of Trump's inauguration, he visited Korea and provided an assessment of the "America First Trade Policy" signed by Trump.

[Michael Beeman/Former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative: "There is an intention to really fundamentally reset and change the tariff rates the United States has with the world and to competely rethink and reset U.S. trade relations with the world. "]

Unlike Canada and Mexico, while South Korea was excluded from the top priority for tariff imposition, he predicted that South Korea would not be far behind.

["There is a dissatisfaction or will be I think expressed dissatisfaction with the current state status quo of U.S., Korea trade."]

Last year, South Korea's exports to the U.S. reached $127.8 billion, with a trade surplus of $55.7 billion, both at record highs, which Trump is unlikely to view positively.

["The degree to which Korean companies are able to demonstrate and invest there and invest in new plants, facilities, and jobs..."]

While the abolition of Trump's electric vehicle subsidies may not immediately impact our major export items such as automobiles and batteries, he also mentioned the need for countermeasures.

["Some has been delegated to the states and some has already been allocated. I believe that they will probably try. But I think it's a complicated matter and we'll see just how far they're able to go legally."]

Beeman advised that South Korean companies should prepare for Washington's concerns about contributing to the U.S. economy, while also seizing the opportunities presented.

[Michael Beeman/Former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative: "Obviously there was hint in the press about shipbuilding and ship repair and the kind of cooperation that Korea and the United States might be able to forge together in that space."]

Our government plans to hold a public-private joint response meeting immediately after Trump's inauguration and send a working delegation to the U.S. to initiate communication with the U.S. side.

This is KBS News, Park Kyung-jun.