U.S. research organization voices opposition to Trump's retaliatory tariff on South Korea, labeling it as 'political'.
Headline: Donald Trump's Tariff Battle With South Korea: A Breakdown of the Key Issues
The Korea Economic Institute of America, a D.C.-based think tank, recently dumped a report on Donald Trump's beef with Korea's tariffs. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
In other news, Korea's trade minister duked it out with U.S. counterparts over tariffs in the nation's capital.
Captions setting... Captions on!
Beginning of the Trump-Korea Trade War
The key stumbling blocks in the U.S.-Korea trade talks throughout the Trump era revolved around tariffs, beef Imports, Living Modified Organisms (LMOs), and map data transfer. Here's what you need to know:
Tariffs
The Trump team eyed boosting reciprocal tariffs on all Korean goods from the current 10 percent to a whopping 25 percent – yikes! This plays into their broader agenda using authoritative measures like Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. The tariff tensions have tested the waters of the U.S.-South Korea trade relationship, which is no small beans ($242 billion in bilateral trade in 2024) under the KORUS Free Trade Agreement, the second-largest U.S. FTA by value. South Korea has been caught between a rock and a hard place: protecting its tech-savvy economy, yet addressing U.S. gripes.
Beef Imports
The U.S. whined about Korea's restrictions on US beef imports, primarily the 16-year-long ban on beef from older cattle. This ban originated in the 2008 bilateral free trade agreement, and the U.S. is eager to find a resolution, as it presents a significant non-tariff barrier to their agricultural exports.
Living Modified Organisms (LMOs)
Korea's agricultural biotechnology regulations, including the LMO Act, have drawn criticism from the U.S. as they create hurdles for U.S. agricultural exports. The U.S. aims to address these roadblocks, advocating for regulatory alignment and easing restrictions.
Map Data Transfer
Last but not least, the U.S. raised concerns over Korea's restrictions on overseas transfer of high-precision or location-based map data. The U.S. argues these restrictions have giveninternational competitors an unfair advantage, hampering trade and tech cooperation.
These hot topics reared their heads during the 2025 trade negotiations geared towards tackling trade imbalances and non-tariff barriers ahead of potential tariff slaps from the Trump team. These roadblocks also inked in the 2025 U.S. National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, making it clear they're front and center in the ongoing negotiations.
- The trade relationship between the U.S. and South Korea, particularly under the KORUS Free Trade Agreement, has faced significant strain due to ongoing policy-and-legislation issues, such as tariffs and non-tariff barriers.
- In the midst of these challenges, South Korea has been navigating a delicate balance between protecting its tech-savvy economy and addressing U.S. concerns, particularly regarding tariffs, beef imports, and Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).
- The U.S., on the other hand, has been advocating for regulatory alignment and easing restrictions in areas such as LMOs and map data transfer, citing these as key issues impeding trade and tech cooperation.
- The general-news scene has been buzzing with discussions about the U.S.-South Korea trade talks, with the arts and culture sector possibly impacted by any agreements or discrepancies in policy-and-legislation pertaining to trade and business relations between the two countries.
