S. Korea Says Trump's Chip Tariffs Impact "Limited"
Yeo Han-koo, who serves as both Trade Minister and Seoul's chief trade negotiator, emphasized that Korean exporters face minimal exposure under the initial wave of restrictions announced by Washington.
"The first-stage measure announced is focused on advanced chips from NVIDIA and AMD, and excludes memory chips, which are key export products of local companies," Yeo stated during a media briefing at Incheon International Airport.
Despite offering reassurances, the minister cautioned that significant question marks remain over future actions from the United States, which could expand semiconductor tariffs in subsequent phases, media reported. Yeo committed to maintaining close coordination with Korean chipmakers to secure the "best outcome" as the situation develops.
The comments followed President Donald Trump's late Wednesday signing of an executive order establishing a 25% levy on specific high-end semiconductors, justified by national security considerations.
According to a White House fact sheet, Trump invoked Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 through a formal proclamation addressing perceived threats from semiconductor imports, manufacturing equipment, and related products.
The policy targets select cutting-edge processors including Nvidia's H200 and AMD's MI325X, while exempting chips designated for strengthening America's domestic technology infrastructure, the document noted.
The White House further indicated that Trump may broaden semiconductor import duties and derivative tariffs shortly, potentially implementing a tariff-offset initiative designed to encourage domestic chip manufacturing.
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