Trump Moves to Hike South Korea Tariffs to 25%

President Trump said Monday he is hiking tariffs on imports from South Korea to 25% from 15%, citing what he called Seoul's failure to approve a "Historic Trade Agreement." In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the move would hit autos, lumber, pharmaceuticals, and other products, but it's not clear when the tariff hike will take effect, and no official action has been published by the White House, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• "South Korea's Legislature is not living up to its Deal with the United States," Trump wrote. "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?"

South Korea is a major supplier to the US, sending about $132 billion worth of goods in 2024, according to Commerce Department figures. Top categories include vehicles and parts, chips, and other electronics—items that could become more expensive for American buyers if a broad 25% tariff is implemented, CNN reports.

Whether Trump can actually follow through on a sweeping increase could hinge on the Supreme Court. A pending case will decide if his administration has the legal authority to impose wide-ranging, country-specific tariffs. A ruling against him would likely curb his ability to unilaterally reset tariff levels on all goods from a given nation. This is the latest in a recent series of tariff threats, including a threatened 100% tariff on Canadian products and a proposed extra 10% levy on European countries that opposed Trump's Greenland plans, an idea he later backed away from.