Trump Raises Tariffs On Who?
President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States will sharply increase tariffs on South Korean imports, citing repeated failures by South Korea’s legislature to approve a major trade agreement negotiated last year.
Trump said the deal—valued at approximately $350 billion—was finalized with South Korean President Lee in July 2025 and reaffirmed during Trump’s visit to South Korea in October. Despite those commitments, the agreement has yet to be formally approved by South Korea’s lawmakers.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned why the agreement remains stalled, noting that while executive leaders reached an understanding, South Korea’s legislature has taken no action to enact it into law.
Because the agreement has not been approved, Trump said he is moving forward with higher tariffs on a broad range of South Korean products. The new tariff rate will increase from 15 percent to 25 percent, affecting automobiles, lumber, pharmaceutical products, and other goods subject to reciprocal trade rules.
The president framed the decision as a matter of fairness, arguing that the United States cannot continue to offer favorable trade terms when foreign governments fail to follow through on negotiated commitments.
Last fall, Trump said South Korean leaders had agreed to purchase large quantities of American oil and natural gas while major Korean companies pledged as much as $600 billion in U.S.-based investments. Those concessions were offered in exchange for lower tariffs—terms Trump says remain unfulfilled.
With the trade agreement still unresolved, the administration is signaling that tougher enforcement measures will remain in place until the deal is formally approved.
