South Korea's investment delay, tech rules draw Trump's ire

Automobiles, other products see tariffs raised from 15% to 25%

President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung shake hands at a meeting in South Korea in October. © AP

ERIKA KOBAYASHI

January 31, 2026 06:36 JST

SEOUL -- U.S. President Donald Trump's decision this week to ramp up tariffs on South Korea appeared to stem from frustration over delays in promised investments, but some say Seoul's barriers to American digital services operators like Google also played a part.