South Korea-U.S. working-level talks are facing difficulties. Screenshot from the online edition of U.S. News & World Report, citing a Reuters report.

Despite the conclusion of bilateral talks, South Korea and the United States are still struggling to bridge their differences in working-level negotiations, Reuters reported from Seoul.

According to a report jointly authored by reporters Hyunjoo Jin and Joyce Lee on the 29th, South Korean working-level officials are striving to close the gap with the United States, even after the bilateral talks in Washington have ended.

The news agency presented a pessimistic outlook, stating that various negotiations between the two countries, from tariffs to defense, are "bogged down," and the handshakes exchanged at the bilateral talks to fulfill promises and agreements are "overshadowing" the positive outcomes.

Reuters interpreted that the leaders of the South Korean and U.S. governments, after meeting for the first time in Washington on the 25th, announced the success of the talks, showcasing personal chemistry instead of public discord between the long-standing allies.

However, the news agency pointed out that the two countries have not agreed on a joint statement or a statement of facts behind the scenes, and the negotiations have not been finalized with an agreement document even a month after the United States announced the results of the tariff agreement.

Seo Wook, the head of the National Security Office, explained the reason for the absence of an agreement document on the 29th, saying, "More discussion and review are needed to finalize the details," but did not disclose specific details.

Kang Hoon-sik, Senior Secretary to the President for Economic Affairs, met with reporters the previous day and said that it is becoming a "very difficult negotiation" due to the close entanglement of various issues from investment to security, adding, "We have overcome significant obstacles, but there is still a long way to go."

Kang also suggested that the United States may leverage various issues, such as the cost of stationing U.S. Forces Korea troops, similar to tariffs on automobiles, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals.

According to Reuters, U.S. President Donald Trump told his cabinet shortly after the bilateral talks, "We have a problem with South Korea," while South Korea ultimately stated, "We are maintaining the same agreement." Both countries are keeping the specifics private.

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul did not respond to Reuters' inquiries about the bilateral talks.

Reuters also reported, under the sub-headline "BIG LOSSES," that disagreements over a $350 billion investment fund and demands for the opening of the South Korean agricultural market are hindering negotiations between South Korea and the United States.

The news agency anticipated that a 15% tariff rate, the same as in Europe, would be applied, as the reduction of automobile tariffs has not yet been finalized, and South Korea has not secured guarantees for semiconductor contributions.

An official from the automotive industry told Reuters, "This meeting has done virtually nothing to alleviate the uncertainty. We are truly concerned. We are incurring big losses."

According to Reuters, the JoongAng Ilbo reported that the U.S. wants to finalize an agreement document whereby South Korea would invest $350 billion in exchange for the U.S. accepting a 15% tariff on automobiles and semiconductors, excluding imports of rice and beef.

In addition, it remains unclear how much President Trump will demand for the stationing of 28,500 U.S. Forces Korea troops, and he is demanding ownership of the land where U.S. military bases are located, leaving the final outcome of the negotiations still in the dark.

In response, South Korean government officials reportedly stated that it was a "political non-starter" from the beginning and that there has been no official request from the U.S. government regarding the ownership of U.S. military base land, Reuters added.

Meanwhile, the shock given to the U.S. side by the special prosecutor's search and seizure of U.S. military bases in South Korea may continue to act as a stumbling block in future negotiations.

An op-ed by Newt Gingrich. Two days after the South Korea-U.S. bilateral working-level talks, on the 27th (local time), prominent Republican figure and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich sharply criticized South Korea's search and seizure of U.S. military bases in an op-ed published in The Washington Times.

Gingrich revealed, "Because South Korea arrogantly raided (searched and seized) U.S. Forces Korea bases without informing or cooperating with the United States, Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio canceled both the scheduled meeting with Director Seo Wook and the meetings between the South Korea-U.S. trade negotiation delegations."

Earlier, a special dispatch from to reported exclusively, citing anonymous sources, that radar data containing the routes of U.S. strategic assets, including the U-2, which is classified as a Grade 2 secret, were taken out during the search and seizure conducted by the special prosecutor at Osan Air Base. This incident was reported to have been a decisive factor in the sudden cancellation of the meeting between the South Korea-U.S. trade representatives.

This newspaper op-ed by former Speaker Gingrich confirmed the NNP report as factual.

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[Exclusive] Upon Receiving Report of Osan U.S. Base Search and Seizure... Trump: "What The Fxxx" 

Prior to the South Korea-U.S. working-level talks, President Trump also expressed his overt displeasure on social media, stating, "I heard that very vicious raids on churches have been carried out by the new government in South Korea over the past few days, and that the new (Lee Jae-myung) government has entered U.S. military bases in South Korea and taken information. I will not tolerate it."

By Huh Kyum