January 27, 2026 | 05:36 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - U.S. President Donald Trump said he's increasing the tariff on South Korean exports. He accused the East Asian ally of failing to ratify their trade agreement with Washington quickly enough.
In a post on Truth Social quoted by Al Jazeera on Monday, January 26, 2026, Trump stated that he is raising the tariff from 15 percent to 25 percent due to South Korea's legislative body's failure to ratify the trade agreement agreed upon between Washington and Seoul last year. The higher tariff will apply to automobiles, lumber, pharmaceutical products, and any goods covered by the baseline reciprocal tariff.
"South Korea’s Legislature is not living up to its Deal with the United States," said Trump. "Why hasn’t the Korean Legislature approved it?"
As of late Monday, the White House has not issued an executive order to enforce the higher tariffs. The South Korean presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, stated that they have not received any notification about the tariffs from the US.
Kim Yong-beom, the director of national policy, is reportedly to hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss Trump's announcement. South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jung-Kwan, who is currently in Canada, will also soon depart for the US to have discussions with US Trade Minister Howard Lutnick.
The US and South Korea announced a trade framework agreement last July. At that time, Trump agreed to lower their reciprocal tariffs on South Korean goods from 25 percent to 15 percent.
Trump agreed to extend the 15 percent tariff for South Korean car exports after his summit meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Gyeongju, South Korea, in October. Under the deal, Seoul agreed to invest US$350 billion in key US industries, including semiconductors and shipbuilding.
The related bill drafted by Democratic Party leader Lee has been delayed in the National Assembly since November.
Trump's import tariff offensive is a major concern for the South Korean economy, which heavily relies on exports and has been facing sluggish growth in recent years.
Read: Canada Walks Back China Deal Over Trump's Tariff Threats
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