Three cabinet-level South Korean officials met U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington for trade talks, Seoul said on Wednesday, as top business leaders were also reported to be flying in to help lobby for a deal on U.

The agreement that Japan secured has added pressure on South Korea to defuse the threat of high tariffs on its exports to the United States.

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said on Tuesday he would seek a mutually beneficial trade deal when he meets U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for talks this week, just days before an August 1 deadline expires to avoid punishing tariffs.