South Korea and Vietnam said on Wednesday they agreed to cooperate closely, after the announcement of U.S. tariffs that pose a major challenge for both economies and for companies like Samsung Electronics with big investments in Vietnam.

South Korea will work to bolster its cooperation with the United States in the shipbuilding and energy sectors, Seoul's trade minister said Wednesday, ahead of upcoming negotiations over U.S. import tariffs.

South Korea and Vietnam agreed to expand economic cooperation on Monday in a bid to counter looming U.S. tariffs that could significantly impact both nations. South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun,