Trade minister to seek consultations on response to potential U.S. policy shifts at Davos forum

January 20, 2025

Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo will seek close consultations with his counterparts on ways to respond to trade policies under the second Donald Trump administration during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the trade ministry said Tuesday.

Cheong will participate in the annual meeting of government and business leaders under the theme of “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age” from Wednesday to Friday (local time) to discuss pending global issues, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

More than 350 government leaders and officials, as well as business leaders, are expected to attend the five-day event that began Monday, the ministry said in a release.

With President Trump taking office, the trade minister will meet with his counterparts from countries that share similar concerns over their trade relations with the United States to discuss ways to collaborate, it added.

He will also have separate meetings with government officials from more than 10 countries, including the European Union, Britain, France, Japan and the Gulf Cooperation Council, to explain the current situation in South Korea following impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law decree last month, the ministry said.

In the meetings, he will explain the Seoul government has pushed ahead with policies “smoothly and thoroughly” under the leadership of acting President Choi Sang-mok despite concerns that may exist over the recent political turmoil in Korea, it said.