SEOUL: South Korea’s finance minister said on Monday the government will convey its concerns on trade frictions to the United States and others at a meeting of the Group of 20 nations later this month.

“We will make use of the G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers in March, and hold a bilateral meeting with the US and other major nations to explain our stance,” Kim Dong-yeon said in a policy meeting with other South Korean ministers in Seoul.

Kim said the government will focus on diversifying exports strategies, which will include strengthening trade ties with countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN).

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that the United States would impose a 25 percent tariff on imported steel, raising fears of a trade war with major trading partners.