U.S. moves to impose tariffs on South Korea

The Donald Trump administration is reportedly taking preliminary steps to reimpose a 25 percent tariff and other duties on South Korean goods. On Jan. 27, a day after pressuring South Korea to accept higher tariffs, Trump told reporters, “We will work with South Korea to find a solution,” signaling that negotiations remain possible. At the same time, U.S. officials have quietly begun procedures that could lead to the actual imposition of tariffs, increasing pressure on Seoul.

According to sources familiar with South Korea-U.S. trade matters, the United States has begun preparing the documentation required to publish a federal notice announcing tariff increases on South Korean products. The South Korean government is reported to have been tracking these developments through unofficial channels. Earlier, Trump announced plans to impose additional tariffs on eight European countries that sent troops to a joint military exercise in Greenland, but later withdrew the proposal. By contrast, his recent remarks on South Korea suggested that tariff measures could move forward.

For the tariffs to take effect, Trump would need to sign an executive order and complete the required federal publication process. The U.S. president said a day earlier that duties on South Korean goods would rise from 15 percent to 25 percent, but he did not specify when the increase would take effect.

U.S. officials’ decision to begin preparatory work immediately after Trump’s announcement is widely viewed as a signal that Washington could move ahead with the measures at any time if Seoul does not swiftly fulfill its investment commitments.

The White House and other U.S. officials have publicly criticized South Korea, saying the tariff reimposition stems from Seoul’s failure to meet its obligations. A White House statement said, “South Korea has shown no progress on the portions of the agreement it pledged to implement.” U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai echoed the criticism in an interview with Fox Business, saying, “We are keeping our commitments, but it is increasingly difficult to tolerate South Korea’s slow implementation of its obligations.”

The South Korean government plans to gauge Trump’s intentions through a series of high-level trade meetings in Washington, D.C. Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-gwan, who is currently visiting Canada with a defense delegation, is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Jan. 28. Yeo Han-gu, head of the Ministry of Trade’s negotiating bureau, is expected to depart for the United States as early as Jan. 29. Neither official has confirmed meetings with U.S. counterparts, including Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and USTR Chief Katherine Tai. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, speaking at a parliamentary foreign affairs committee session the same day, said, “It is important to respond calmly in situations like this.”


신규진 기자 newjin@donga.com/