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President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump review an honor guard during an official welcome ceremony at the Gyeongju National Museum on October 29. / Source: Presidential Office

The release of the joint fact sheet detailing the outcome of the Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations has been delayed amid last-minute coordination over sensitive defense clauses, including provisions on nuclear-powered submarines, according to government sources on November 5.

Seoul and Washington had initially planned to unveil the joint fact sheet and sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining a $350 billion investment package around noon the previous day. However, the United States reportedly requested revisions to wording related to nuclear submarine cooperation, prompting extended discussions.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol said during a KBS radio interview that the “economic portions of the fact sheet are nearly finalized,” adding that the signing would take place once the “security section is completed.”

When asked about the timeline, Koo replied, “We’re working to conclude it as soon as possible, but discussions are still underway on security matters.”

Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek also told lawmakers at the National Assembly that the announcement had been expected to wrap up earlier but was delayed because “issues concerning nuclear-powered submarines and related agreements required interagency coordination within the U.S. government.”

During their summit on October 29, President Lee had requested U.S. cooperation in supplying nuclear fuel for South Korea’s planned nuclear-powered submarine program, while President Donald Trump instead approved construction at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard — highlighting a subtle gap between the two sides.

A senior presidential official said, “There is currently nothing new to report regarding the joint fact sheet.”

Diplomatic sources expect the fact sheet to be unveiled later this week, possibly including details on semiconductor tariffs and defense spending commitments. While Seoul stated after the summit that both sides agreed to apply semiconductor tariffs “at levels comparable to Taiwan,” Washington maintains that “semiconductors were not part of the agreement.”

The upcoming document may also include Seoul’s plan to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP and purchase $25 billion worth of U.S.-made weapons by 2030, though presidential aides stressed that “no decision has been finalized.”

“The government remains committed to strengthening national defense, but any specifics will be determined after reviewing security conditions and fiscal capacity,” a senior official said.

Meanwhile, President Lee canceled a luncheon with firefighters scheduled for the day due to health reasons, with Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik presiding in his place.