Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan held two consecutive days of consultations with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as Seoul pushed forward strategic investment projects in the United States. South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said the talks on the 17th and 18th, local time, focused on key issues and timelines for candidate U.S. investment projects, with both sides seeking common ground. The meeting marked the first talks between Kim and Lutnick in about three weeks since late last month. Kim is also scheduled to meet U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought on the 19th to discuss bilateral trade matters including the Section 301 investigation and follow-up measures tied to President Donald Trump's recently announced policy to rebuild the shipbuilding industrial base, as well as ways to strengthen shipbuilding cooperation between the two countries.