Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, right, shakes hands with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer before their talks in Washington, July 21. Courtesy of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources
Korea's chief trade negotiator has been dismissed from his post, officials said Saturday, as Seoul faces mounting tariff pressure from the United States amid a series of unresolved bilateral trade issues.
Yeo Han-koo was notified of his dismissal by the Ministry of Personnel Management on Friday, an official at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, without elaborating on the reason for the decision.
His dismissal "has nothing to do with tariff negotiations between Seoul and Washington," a government official told Yonhap News Agency.
Amid speculation that his dismissal was related to personal misconduct, Yeo said in a statement that such speculation was unfounded and that he would consider taking legal action over false reports.
