Trump Raises Reciprocal Tariffs on Select South Korean Goods to 25%

Overview

• Posting on Truth Social, the president said tariffs on South Korean automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals and other items covered by reciprocal measures will increase from 15% to 25% due to a delay in Seoul’s legislative ratification.
• South Korea’s presidential office reported no official notification from Washington and held an emergency interagency meeting to assess the announcement.
• Industry Minister Kim Chzhon Gwan will travel from Canada to the United States to discuss the issue with U.S. Commerce official Howard Latnik, according to Seoul.
• South Korean authorities emphasized that any tariff hike would only take effect after U.S. administrative actions such as Federal Register publication.
• The dispute ties back to a 2025 package linking roughly $350 billion in Korean investment pledges with a U.S. cut in auto tariffs to 15%, which has not been fully approved by the National Assembly, and a Korean economist described the tariff threat as pressure to secure ratification before a possible Supreme Court decision.