Trump Raises South Korea Tariffs to 25%

President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would increase tariffs on certain South Korean imports to 25 percent, citing the South Korean National Assembly's failure to enact a bilateral trade agreement reached earlier in the year.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that the United States had already reduced tariffs in line with the deal, but South Korea had not followed suit. "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," he wrote. Trump referenced an agreement finalized on July 30, 2025, and reaffirmed during his meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on October 29, 2025, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju.

The affected imports include automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals, and other reciprocal goods. The United States had previously lowered tariffs on South Korean automobiles to 15 percent on December 4, 2025, following the submission of related legislation to the National Assembly. That measure, the Special Act on Managing...