U.S. urges Japan, South Korea to look at 'standstill agreement' for trade feud

The United States has urged South Korea and Japan to consider signing a "standstill agreement" on a simmering diplomatic dispute over trade in high-tech materials and other thorny issues to buy time for the countries to negotiate further, a senior U.S. official told reporters on Tuesday.

Washington is trying to be helpful in the dispute, the official said, noting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to meet with foreign ministers from Japan and South Korea at a regional conference in Bangkok on Thursday.