Trump Raises Tariffs on South Korean Imports to 25%
President Donald Trump said on Jan. 27, 2026 he would raise U.S. tariffs on South Korean autos, lumber and pharmaceuticals from 15% to 25%.
Washington ExaminerTrump raises tariffs on South Korea by 10% over failure to enact trade deal
The GuardianTrump says he will impose new tariffs on South Korea, sending shares in carmakers tumbling
Al JazeeraTrump says he is raising tariffs on South Korea to 25%
BBC NewsTrump raises US tariffs on South Korea imports to 25%
Overview
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Jan. 27, 2026 in a Truth Social post that he was increasing tariffs on South Korean imports from 15% to 25% for autos, lumber, pharmaceuticals and other reciprocal tariffs.
The tariff increase would reverse part of a framework deal reached last year that capped U.S. duties at 15% and accompanied a pledge by South Korea to invest $350 billion in the United States.
South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said it had not received official notice and said Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan will travel to Washington to meet U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Kim Yong-beom said.
Shares in Hyundai fell about 2.5% and some South Korean carmakers slid as much as 5% on markets, while official trade data show U.S. imports from South Korea total about $150 billion annually.
The White House had not issued a formal executive order as of Jan. 27, 2026, and the action could face legal challenges over presidential tariff authority before the Supreme Court, court filings and analysts said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as an example of U.S. unilateralism and disruptive trade policy by highlighting Trump's repeated tariff threats, South Korea's lack of official notice, and immediate market impacts (share declines). Editorial emphasis on past incidents (Greenland, Canada) and words like 'accusing' and 'threatened' creates a critical throughline.