South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo on Saturday stressed Seoul's focus on maximizing "practical interests" in ongoing trade talks with the United States, as he arrived in Washington with just days left before U.

Without a new deal or an extension to the talks, South Korea will face a series of new tariffs from the United States that will significantly impact its economy.

South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said on Friday that he might request an extension of the freeze on U.S. tariffs that is set to expire within days when he heads to Washington for talks with U.