Key facts
- The U.S. administration announced final decision to impose up to 12.5 percent tariffs on South Korea, Japan and other trading partners.
- Tariffs range from 10 percent to 12.5 percent on dozens of countries.
- The investigations were conducted under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act.
- The tariffs are related to concerns over forced labor.
- South Korea urged the U.S. to reconsider the proposed tariff.
The U.S. administration has announced its final decision to impose tariffs of up to 12.5 percent on South Korea, Japan, and other trading partners, citing concerns over forced labor. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) revealed the new duties, which range from 10 percent to 12.5 percent, following investigations into 60 economies under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act.
The announcement comes as the administration's temporary 10-percent global tariffs were set to expire. These across-the-board duties were implemented after the Supreme Court invalidated the Trump administration's country-specific "reciprocal tariffs" in February.
Last month, the USTR had proposed a 12.5 percent tariff on South Korea and other nations. The South Korean government had formally urged the U.S. to reconsider, characterizing the proposal as "unwarranted" and "disproportionate."
In addition to the forced labor investigations, the USTR has also been examining unfair trade practices related to "structural" excess capacity and production in South Korea, China, Japan, and 13 other countries. These investigations were part of the Trump administration's efforts to establish new tariffs following the invalidation of previous ones imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).