South Korea's trade and industry minister Ahn Duk-geun said on Wednesday that potential cooperation with Washington in the shipbuilding sector is a "very important card" in negotiating with the U.S. over its tariffs.

South Korea is seeking to cut a “big” trade deal with the US after a last-minute phone call between Donald Trump and Acting President Han Duck-soo raised the prospects of bringing some relief to the export-reliant nation hit hard by the US tariffs blitz.