WASHINGTON, Jan 27 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- US President Donald Trump said Monday that he's raising "reciprocal" tariffs and auto duties on South Korea to 25 per cent from 15 per cent as he argued the Asian ally's legislature has not yet completed a domestic process to implement a bilateral trade deal, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Trump made the surprise announcement in a social media post, saying that his administration has acted "swiftly" to lower its tariffs following trade deals and expects its trading partners "to do the same" -- a remark that observers say might reflect his wish to see Seoul quickly follow through on its investment pledges.
The announcement has prompted Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae to call an interagency meeting to discuss responses and decide to rush Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, who is currently in Canada, to the United States for talks with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
"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?" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"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 per cent to 25 per cent."
It remains unknown exactly when Trump plans to have the increased tariffs go into effect. The White House did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
He was apparently referring to a bill that the ruling Democratic Party submitted to the National Assembly in November to implement the bilateral trade and investment deal. It has yet to pass through the legislature.
Released in November, a joint fact sheet detailed a series of agreements on trade, investment and security in the two countries' deal, including South Korea's commitment to investing US$350 billion in the US. and other pledges in return for Washington's lowering of reciprocal tariffs and auto levies on South Korea to 15 per cent.
The document also included the Trump administration's approval for Seoul's push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and its support for Korea's drive to secure civil uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing rights for peaceful purposes.
Trump's tariff announcement on South Korea, if enforced, could inject new uncertainty into the bilateral relationship. The trade deal, as specified in the fact sheet, has provided a degree of certainty in the two countries' economic ties following months of their grueling negotiations.
Trump's move for the tariff increase apparently puts pressure on South Korea to accelerate efforts to meet its end of the trade deal, particularly on the investment front.
Seoul is expected to make an investment -- with an annual cap of $20 billion -- in the US this year in line with the trade deal, but speculation has arisen that the Korean currency's weakness against the US dollar could get in the way of the Asian country delivering on the investment commitment.
Trump could be mindful of a potential delay in South Korea's investment, observers said.
"Our Trade Deals are very important to America. In each of these Deals, we have acted swiftly to reduce our TARIFFS in line with the Transaction agreed to. We, of course, expect our Trading Partners to do the same," he wrote.
Monday's announcement came amid concerns in Washington over South Korea's ongoing investigation into Coupang Inc., a U.S.-listed firm, over a massive customer data leak and the Asian country's regulatory moves against online platform companies.
U.S. lawmakers and investors called the investigation into Coupang "discriminatory," while the State Department expressed "significant concerns" last month over Seoul's regulatory moves that could affect online platform businesses.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
