President Donald Trump announced late Monday that the United States will sharply increase tariffs on imports from South Korea, citing Seoul’s failure to follow through on a previously negotiated trade agreement. The move marks a major escalation in trade pressure against one of America’s key allies in Asia.
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In a post on Truth Social, Trump said South Korea’s legislature has not approved a deal he reached with President Lee last year. He emphasized that the United States upheld its end of the agreement by reducing tariffs and now expects the same from its trading partners.
Trump said the agreement was finalized on July 30, 2025, and reaffirmed during his visit to South Korea on October 29, but has yet to be ratified by the Korean legislature. He questioned why lawmakers in Seoul have failed to act, calling the delay a violation of the deal’s intent.
Because the agreement has not been formally enacted, Trump said the United States will move forward with higher reciprocal tariffs. Under the new policy, tariffs on a broad range of South Korean imports will rise from 15 percent to 25 percent, taking effect immediately.
The decision signals Trump’s continued reliance on tariffs as a tool to enforce what he views as fair and reciprocal trade relationships. While the U.S. and South Korea have operated under a free trade agreement since 2012, Trump has long argued that the framework disadvantages American manufacturers and contributes to trade imbalances.
Administration officials said the July 2025 agreement included investment and purchase commitments from South Korea, but stressed those promises are meaningless without legislative approval. Trump made clear that tariff relief will only come once the deal is ratified, placing responsibility squarely on South Korea’s lawmakers to act.[/read]