WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States held high-level talks here Monday on Seoul's interest in potentially joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a U.S.-led multilateral trade agreement, officials said.

In a meeting with South Korea's Deputy Trade Minister Choi Kyong-lim, Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler welcomed Seoul's decision, they added.

Cutler explained "the domestic procedures the United States would follow in considering Korea's interest in joining the TPP," a U.S. trade official told Yonhap News Agency on background.

Cutler discussed the state of TPP negotiations and emphasized that the focus of the U.S. and other TPP members is on concluding the current negotiations, added the official.

Also discussed was key outstanding issues on the implementation of the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement and other bilateral matters, the official said.

Choi's discussions with Cutler marks the start of Seoul's preliminary consultations with a dozen countries involved in the ongoing TPP negotiations.

South Korea is scheduled to hold similar sessions with Mexico, Chile, Peru, Malaysia and Singapore later this month.

After taking a wait-and-see stance for months, the South Korean government announced in late November that it would explore the possibility of taking part in the TPP.

Seoul is expected to make an announcement for its participation in the TPP talks after the preliminary bilateral discussions with the current member states.

The TPP talks include the U.S., Japan, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Speaking at a Washington forum in December, Cutler said the TPP negotiations are in the final phase.

She strongly suggested that South Korea wait until the conclusion of the ongoing multinational talks.

"We think we are in the end game ... I think it will be very, very difficult for any country, including (South) Korea, to join the ongoing negotiations if you just look at the timetable and the clock," she said.

Source: Yonhap News

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