President Trump on Monday said he is raising tariffs on South Korea because the nation has not yet approved a trade deal with the U.S. that the two countries agreed to last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr. Trump said in a social media\u00a0post<\/a> that the U.S. will increase its tariff on imports from South Korea from 15% to 25% and also hike levies on the country’s automobiles, lumber and pharmaceutical goods.\u00a0<\/p>\n “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?” Mr. Trump said in announcing the stepped-up duties.\u00a0<\/p>\n The two countries reached a deal on\u00a0trade and security issues<\/a> after Mr. Trump met his South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in Seoul last year. Under the agreement, the U.S. cut its tariffs on South Korean vehicles, car parts, pharmaceuticals and other products from 25% to 15%.\u00a0<\/p>\n The pact also called for South Korea to invest $350 billion in several key U.S. sectors, including semiconductors, shipbuiling and biotech.<\/p>\n As of late 2025, South Korea was the U.S.’ eighth-largest trading partner, with total trade between the nations of $162 billion, according to Census Bureau\u00a0data<\/a>. The auto industry accounts for 27% of South Korea’s exports to the U.S., which takes in nearly half of the country’s car exports.<\/p>\n The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on the legality of the Trump administration’s country-specific tariffs, which the White House has imposed on dozens of nations under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA.\u00a0<\/p>\n If they are struck down, White House officials have said they can turn to other powers that effectively replace the sweeping levies.\u00a0<\/p>\n