08-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Trump's 25% tariff surprise for South Korea, Japan upends trade talk tactics
The move highlights Trump's preference for brinkmanship-style deal-making and leaves room for diplomacy, as Seoul races to craft its response ahead of the new August 1 deadline, according to analysts.
South Korea's presidential office convened an emergency meeting of cabinet ministers on Tuesday after Trump's letter to President
Lee Jae-myung formally notified the Lee administration of the planned tariffs.
The new date marks a three-week extension beyond the previously expected implementation of Washington's tariffs on July 10, originally set after a 90-day pause.
The South Korean industry ministry has vowed to pursue a 'mutually beneficial' agreement during the extended window.
Officials signalled plans to revise domestic regulations and enhance cooperation in strategic sectors such as shipbuilding and semiconductors as part of broader efforts to support a 'manufacturing renaissance' in both countries.
