Why Trump Just Played the Tariff Card Against South Korea

$350 billion. That's what South Korea promised to invest in the United States last July. But according to a White House official on Tuesday, Seoul has made "no progress" on delivering its end of the bargain.

The blunt assessment came just one day after Donald Trump announced he's hiking "reciprocal" tariffs on South Korea from 15% back to 25%. The surprise move sent Seoul scrambling, with Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan rushing from a business trip in Canada straight to Washington for emergency talks with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

The Deal That Went Sideways

The trade arrangement seemed straightforward when struck in late July and finalized months later. South Korea would commit to $350 billion in U.S. investments, among other pledges. In return, Washington would lower reciprocal tariffs from 25% to 15%. Trump delivered on his part first, cutting the tariffs as promised.

But Seoul's implementation has been sluggish. "The simple reality is that South Korea reached a deal with the Trump administration to secure lower tariffs," the White House official told Yonhap News Agency. "While the president lowered tariffs on Korea, the Koreans have made no progress on fulfilling their end of the bargain."

The frustration in Washington goes beyond just delayed investments. U.S. officials are also concerned about South Korea's ongoing investigation into Coupang Inc., the U.S.-listed e-commerce giant, over a massive customer data leak. Seoul's broader moves to regulate online platform companies have added to American unease about doing business in South Korea.

Currency Concerns Add Complexity

There's another wrinkle: the weakening Korean won. As South Korea's currency has declined, concerns have emerged in Washington that Seoul might struggle to deliver on its dollar-denominated investment commitments. For an administration that campaigned on bringing manufacturing jobs back to America, any shortfall in promised foreign investment is politically sensitive.

This currency dynamic illustrates a broader challenge in Trump's transactional approach to trade. When deals are denominated in specific dollar amounts, exchange rate fluctuations can quickly make agreements look less favorable to either side.

Strategic Timing

Trump's decision to escalate just one week into his presidency wasn't random. By targeting South Korea—a key ally—so early, he's sending a message to other trading partners: promises will be enforced, and quickly.

The move also serves domestic political purposes. Trump can point to concrete action on trade deals, demonstrating to his base that he's immediately getting tough with foreign partners who don't deliver on their commitments.

Seoul's Dilemma

For South Korea, this creates a complex balancing act. The government must encourage domestic companies to invest abroad while managing concerns about capital outflows. The Coupang investigation presents an even trickier challenge—balancing legitimate regulatory concerns with pressure from Washington to go easy on U.S. companies.

The broader question is whether South Korea's legislative procedures for implementing the trade deal are genuinely slow, or if Seoul is having second thoughts about the massive investment commitment. Either way, Trump appears unwilling to wait for answers.