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The sweeping measure marks a dramatic shift in economic relations between the two longtime allies.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order enacting the tariff policy, which targets several major U.S. trading partners. China faces the highest levy at 34 percent, followed by Japan at 24 percent and the European Union at 20 percent.
“This is our declaration of economic independence,” Trump said in a Rose Garden address, asserting that the United States had been “looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike” for more than five decades.
The tariffs, implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), will take effect in two phases: a baseline tariff beginning Saturday, followed by additional country-specific tariffs on April 9.
South Korea, which exported $127.8 billion worth of goods to the United States last year and recorded a trade surplus of $55.7 billion, now faces mounting economic uncertainty.
Key South Korean exports — including automobiles, semiconductors, petroleum products, and batteries — will be directly impacted by the tariffs, potentially undermining the competitiveness of Korean firms in the U.S. market.
The 25 percent tariff rate on South Korean goods exceeds the levies imposed on Japan and the European Union, raising concerns about the country’s ability to maintain its foothold in American trade.
The timing of the announcement is particularly precarious for South Korea, which is navigating a leadership transition while confronting rising global trade tensions.
According to a chart presented during Trump's remarks, the U.S. government calculated that South Korea effectively imposes the equivalent of a 50 percent tariff on American goods when factoring in currency manipulation and non-tariff barriers. The 25 percent U.S. tariff, the administration argued, represents a “discount” to correct perceived trade imbalances.
The move has triggered swift international backlash. The European Union is preparing counter-tariffs, while Canada has stated that it will “exclude no options” in its response to the escalating trade dispute.
In Seoul, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun convened an emergency meeting Thursday morning to assess the crisis, and to negotiate a new trade framework with Washington.
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