South Korea will decide this week whether...

South Korea will decide this week whether to give in to a U.S. ultimatum to open its markets wider to American products such as beef and cigarettes or face sanctions, government officials said Sunday.

“Economic Planning Minister Chung In-yong will call another meeting of concerned ministers this week to work out a final government strategy,” an aide to Chung said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

After three days of trade talks in Washington failed last week to forge an agreement, the United States threatened to slap high tariffs on some South Korean imports unless this nation’s markets open up more by year’s end to U.S. beef, cigarettes and insurance firms. The Reagan Administration says it considers those markets unfairly closed to American products.