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U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a tariff chart during an announcement on reciprocal tariffs for trading partners in the White House Rose Garden on the afternoon of April 2. / Source: AP·Yonhap News

The Donald Trump administration has designated South Korea as a top priority among countries facing high reciprocal tariffs.

Kevin Hassett, Chairman of the White House National Economic Council (NEC), said in a Fox News interview on April 8 (local time) that South Korea and Japan are the highest priorities in trade negotiations, citing them as major trading partners and allies with large trade surpluses with the United States.

Chairman Hassett stated, “President Trump is clearly prioritizing Japan and South Korea, our closest allies and trading partners,” stressing that the Trump administration is “laser-focused” on major trading partners that have contributed to massive U.S. trade deficits over the years through unfair trade practices.

Regarding the decision to prioritize negotiations with South Korea and Japan, Hassett explained, “We are managing an enormous number of negotiation requests, and it’s physically quite difficult to handle them all.” He added that the White House National Security Council (NSC) and the National Economic Council (NEC) are preparing to brief President Trump on the priorities of “who” to meet and “when.”

Referring to recent phone calls between President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba the previous day, and Acting South Korean President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo earlier that day, Hassett emphasized, “What came out of those conversations is really positive for American workers and farmers.”

Trump also posted on his social media platform Truth Social saying that his administration and South Korea “have the confines and probability of a great DEAL for both countries.” adding, "Their top TEAM is on a plane heading to the U.S., and things are looking good,” Trump said in a Tuesday morning post on Truth Social, his social media platform.

The "top team" appears to refer to South Korea’s chief trade negotiator, Chung In-kyo, from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, who arrived in Washington, D.C., that day to begin talks with U.S. officials including Jamieson Greer of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

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Chung In-kyo, South Korea’s chief trade negotiator at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, speaks to reporters before departing for the United States at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on April 8. / Source: Yonhap News

Regarding his phone call with Acting President Han, Trump stated that they discussed “the massive and unsustainable (South Korean) trade surplus with the U.S., tariffs, shipbuilding, large-scale purchases of American liquefied natural gas (LNG), joint investment in the Alaska pipeline, and payments for the massive military protection we provide to South Korea.”

President Trump outlined a “one-stop shopping” approach as the goal of trade negotiations, suggesting that the U.S. would pursue comprehensive talks with countries covering not only trade, but also industrial and military issues.

“We are dealing with many other countries,” he said. “They all want to make a deal with the United States.” He continued, “Just like with South Korea, we are raising issues beyond trade and tariffs, and we are negotiating those too,” emphasizing that “one-stop shopping” is a beautiful and efficient process.