The U.S. and South Korea had a "very successful" meeting on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, as the two countries opened trade talks with Seoul seeking a path to diminish the stiff tariffs President Donald Trump is angling to impose.

During a meeting on Thursday between Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, South Korean Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and South Korean Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun, the officials agreed to "further productive discussions, including on currency policy," the Treasury said in a separate statement.

The U.S. Treasury is engaged in tariff negotiations with South Korea to encourage more trade between the allies. Key officials from both countries discussed promoting a trade-friendly equilibrium, focusing on productive talks,