Photo/Illutration A car carrier transporting vehicles made by Kia Motors, which is part of South Korea's biggest automaker company Hyundai Motor, travels near Pyeongtaek port in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on July 8. (REUTERS)

SEOUL--Talks between top South Korean and U.S. officials to negotiate over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have been canceled due to a scheduling conflict for U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, South Korea’s finance ministry said on Thursday.

The two sides will reschedule the meeting between Bessent and South Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, as well as the top trade envoys of both countries, as soon as possible, the ministry said.

Koo was set to board a flight for Washington on Thursday to attend the meeting on Friday in the hope of hammering out a deal that would spare Asia’s fourth-largest economy from Trump’s punishing 25% tariffs set to take effect on August 1.

Pressure on South Korea heightened this week after Japan clinched a deal with the United States, which Trump said would see Tokyo allowing greater market access for American products including autos and some agricultural products.

Koo had said on Tuesday that Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo and him would hold talks with U.S. counterparts at the request of the American officials.

Trade envoy Yeo and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, who have travelled to Washington this week, have been meeting with U.S. officials as scheduled, the South Korean government said.

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