Korea must view the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting as a crucial opportunity to break the current trade impasse with the United States, experts and industry officials said. Given Trump’s outwardly provocative rhetoric, chances appear slim for Korea to narrow the lingering difference anytime soon, so the strategic importance of the APEC summit is growing larger. The professor said the U.S. is now stepping up its pressure against Korea to maintain leverage in trade negotiations. Officials from the auto industry also expressed hopes for the APEC meeting to serve as a key facilitator to end Korea’s trade stalemate with the U.S. “At APEC, local automakers are pinning hopes for Korea and the U.S. to find a breakthrough in their tariff talks.”