SEOUL, Jan 15 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- The government convened an emergency meeting Thursday to assess the impact of Washington's plan to impose 25 per cent tariffs on certain semiconductor imports, focusing on response strategies for South Korean chipmakers, according to officials.
The meeting, chaired by Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, took place just hours after US President Donald Trump's administration issued a proclamation outlining a two-phase plan to adjust imports of semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and their derivative products, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The plan includes applying a 25 per cent tariff on certain artificial intelligence (AI) chips, which are imported into the United States and then reexported to other countries, and a broader tariff accompanied by a tariff offset programme to enable companies investing in US semiconductor production to obtain preferential treatment.
Washington also issued a proclamation on adjusting imports of processed critical minerals and their derivative products.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said it will put in "all-out" efforts to minimise the impact of the latest US move on Korea while maintaining communication with affected industries.
Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, who had been set to return home after a weeklong trip to the US., has decided to extend his stay to examine potential domestic ramifications from the US proclamations.
Separately, Vice Trade Minister Park Jung-sung, currently in Korea, was scheduled to hold phone talks with US Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler to address Korea's concerns, according to the ministry.
Later in the day, the ministry held a meeting with major chipmakers here, including Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc., to gather opinions on the matter.
Following the meeting, the ministry said the first-phase of Washington's chip import adjustment plan is expected to have a limited impact on Korean companies as they are targeting a narrow list of advanced computing chips, including Nvidia's H200 and AMD's MI325X.
But local chipmakers expressed woes over uncertainties regarding the tariff offset programme under the second-phase plan, calling on the government to actively communicate with the US on the matter.
Under the bilateral tariff deal reached last year, the US agreed to offer Korea semiconductor tariff rates that are "no less favourable" than those applied to its direct competitors.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
