1. At the Korea-US Trade Ministers’ Meeting this March, both countries confirmed the principle of resolving 
trade issues through dialogue and consultations, and also agreed to have annual consultation meetings to 
provide systematic tools. Accordingly, the Korea-US Action Agenda Meeting will be held from June 12 to 14, 
2001, in Seoul. It will also provide an opportunity to examine the progress made in implementing the Korea-
US MOU, concluded in October 1998. The fourth Korea-US Auto Consultation will be also held during the 
same period to examine the progress made in implementing the Korea-US Auto MOU, concluded in October 
1998, and to discuss trade issues on automobiles. 

2. The US delegation will be led by Ms. Barbara Weisel, Assistant Deputy of the USTR, and will consist of 
officials from the Department of State, Department of Commerce, and other related agencies. The Korean 
delegation will be led by Mr. Kim Chong-hoon, Director-General of the Bilateral Trade Bureau of the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and will consist of officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry 
of Justice, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Construction and 
Transportation, Ministry of Information and Communication, and Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 

Action Agenda Meeting 
○ Korea-US trade issues such as IPR, Hynix semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, beef, and steel products 
will be discussed. 
○ It is expected that the US will raise the issue of enhancing IPR protection including actual measures to 
prohibit IPR infringements. The Korean Government will explain its efforts to enhance IPR protection such 
as special measures to crack down pirated computer software which were taken in the first half of this year. 
○ The US administration has requested the US International Trade Commission an investigation on the 
injury to the domestic steel industry due to steel imports according to Section 201 (Safeguard measure) of 
the US Trade Act on June. 

5. Regarding this, the Korean delegation will maintain that such a measure will lead to the expansion of 
global trade protectionism and will have negative effects on the early launch of the New Round of WTO 
negotiations. The Korean side will call for the US to refrain from taking the safeguards measure. 

Auto Consultation 
○ Issues related to foreign automobile producers’ approach to the Korean market, such as tariffs and taxes, 
standards and certification, and consumer perception will be discussed. 
○ The Korean government will explain the measures that have been taken to support foreign automobile 
producers’ approach to the Korean market. The Korean Government will also focus on preventing possible 
trade disputes in automobiles, which may arise due to the imbalance in automobile trade, through improving 
Korea’s system and customs. (In 2000: Korean automobile imports in the US: 570,000 cars; US automobile 
imports in Korea: 2,500 cars) 


                                                             Spokesperson of MOFAT

* unofficial translation