U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he’s raising tariffs on imports of South Korean goods due to the country’s legislature’s failure to approve a trade deal with the U.S. that both countries agreed to in October 2025.
“Because the Korean Legislature hasn’t enacted our Historic Trade Agreement, which is their prerogative, I am hereby increasing South Korean TARIFFS on Autos, Lumber, Pharma, and all other Reciprocal TARIFFS, from 15% to 25%,” President Trump wrote via Truth Social.
"South Korea's Legislature is not living up to its Deal with the United States. President Lee and I reached a Great Deal for both Countries on July 30, 2025, and we reaffirmed these terms while I was in Korea on October 29, 2025. Why hasn't the Korean Legislature approved it?" President Trump added when announcing the increased levies.
In July 2025, President Trump announced that he reached a trade agreement with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. However, further progress stalled because the deal required South Korea to invest in various U.S. industries such as shipbuilding, biotech, and semiconductors.
In October 2025, President Trump visited Asia, leading to him and Jae-myung finalizing the deal, including a $350 billion pledge to the U.S. sectors.
A spokesperson for Jae Myung responded by clarifying that there had been “no official notification from the U.S. government nor any explanation of the details as of yet.” The spokesperson added that a “countermeasures meeting” was scheduled on Jan. 27.
Additionally, the spokesperson announced that Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan will also visit the U.S. “as soon as possible” to discuss the issue with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The U.S Supreme Court is expected to consider the legality of the Trump administration’s country-specific levies, which the president has imposed on several countries under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), with President Trump using the act to attack world leaders he dislikes.
Most recently, President Trump said he placed tariffs on Switzerland because the nation’s leader "rubbed me the wrong way.”
