Trump threatens to hike tariffs on South Korean goods over inaction on
trade deal
[January 27, 2026] By
JOSH BOAK and HYUNG-JIN KIM
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he is increasing
tariffs on South Korean goods because the country’s legislature has yet
to approve the trade framework announced last year.
Trump said on social media that import taxes would be raised on autos,
lumber and pharmaceutical drugs from South Korea with the rate on other
goods going from 15% to 25%. The U.S. president previously imposed the
tariffs by declaring an economic emergency and bypassing Congress, while
South Korea needed legislative approval for the framework announced in
July and affirmed during Trump's October visit to the country.
“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,” Trump said. “We, of course, expect our Trading Partners to
do the same.”
The threat was a reminder that the tariff drama unleashed last year by
Trump is likely to be repeated again and again this year. The global
economy and U.S. voters might find the world's trade structure
constantly being subject to disruption and new negotiations as Trump has
already sought to levy tariffs in order to bend other nations to his
will.
Trump has in the past tied his tariffs to commitments by South Korea to
invest $350 billion in the U.S. economy over several years, including
efforts to revitalize American shipyards. But the Trump administration's
relations with South Korea have at times been rocky with the raid last
year by immigration officials at a Hyundai manufacturing site in Georgia
in which 475 people were detained.
South Korea’s presidential office responded after a meeting of top South
Korean officials that it will convey its commitment to implementing last
year's deal to the U.S.
The presidential office said that South Korea's Industry Minister Kim
Jung-Kwan will travel to the U.S. for talks with Secretary of Commerce
Howard Lutnick, while Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo will travel separately
to meet with Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Kim was on a visit to
Canada.
South Korean lawmakers have submitted five bills on implementing South
Korea's proposed $350 billion investment package to the National
Assembly. The bills are currently before the assembly's finance
committee.
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Vehicles for export are parked and shipping containers are seen at a
port in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (AP
Photo/Lee Jin-man)
 Kim Hyun-jung, a spokesperson for
South Korea's governing Democratic Party, said his party will
coordinate with the government to organize swift debate and action
on the bills.
Assembly officials said the five bills will likely
be incorporated into a single proposed law, which will need approval
from the finance and judiciary committees before it can go to a
floor vote.
Trump's announcement of new tariffs fits a pattern in which Trump
plans to continue to deploy tariffs, possibly to the detriment of
relations with other countries.
Just last week, the president threatened tariffs on eight European
nations unless the U.S. gained control of Greenland, only to pull
back on his ultimatum after meetings at the World Economic Forum in
Davos, Switzerland. Trump on Saturday said he would put a 100% tax
on goods from Canada if it followed through with plans to bolster
trade with China.
Trump has bragged about his trade frameworks as drawing in new
investment to the U.S., yet many of his heavily hyped deals have yet
to be finalized. The European Parliament has yet to approve a trade
deal pushed by Trump that would put a 15% tax on the majority of
goods exported by the EU's 27 member states.
The United States is poised this year to renegotiate its amended
2020 trade pact with Canada and Mexico. There are also ongoing
Section 232 investigations under the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, as
well as an upcoming Supreme Court decision on whether Trump exceeded
his authority by declaring tariffs under the 1977 International
Emergency Economic Powers Act.
___
Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea.
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