Evidence from credible sources supports the statement as accurate. Learn more in Methodology.
Official records or future implementation milestones confirm discussions took place and the Secretary made the comment about smooth implementation.
An official U.S. Treasury readout of Secretary Scott Bessent’s January 12, 2026 meeting with South Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun Cheol states that they “discussed the full and faithful implementation of President Donald Trump’s historic Korea Strategic Trade and Investment Deal” and that “The Secretary expressed his view that its implementation should go smoothly.” Yonhap News, summarizing the same Treasury release, likewise reports that the two sides discussed full and faithful implementation of the bilateral trade and investment deal and quotes the department saying, “The secretary expressed his view that its implementation should go smoothly.” These sources directly support both parts of the claim: that implementation of the Korea Strategic Trade and Investment Deal was discussed, and that Bessent said he expected implementation to proceed smoothly. The verdict is True because multiple credible sources, including the primary official readout, explicitly confirm the statement as described.