US President Donald Trump has announced he is raising tariffs on South Korean imports to 25% after accusing Seoul of "not living up" to a trade deal reached last year.
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In a post on social media, Trump said he would increase levies on South Korea from 15% across a range of products including automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals and "all other Reciprocal TARIFFS".
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Trump said South Korean lawmakers have been slow to approve the deal while "we have acted swiftly to reduce our TARIFFS in line with the Transaction agreed to".
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South Korea says it had not been given official notice of the decision to raise tariffs on some of its goods, and wanted urgent talks with Washington over the issue.
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It added that South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, who is currently in Canada, will visit Washington as soon as possible to meet US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
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South Korea's benchmark Kospi stock index fell on Tuesday morning but was trading about 1.8% higher later in the day as shares in major exporters recovered.
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Seoul and Washington reached a deal last October, which included a pledge from South Korea to invest $350bn (£256bn) in the US, some of which would go to shipbuilding.
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The following month, the two countries agreed that the US would reduce tariffs on some products once South Korea started the process to approve the deal.
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The agreement was submitted to South Korea's National Assembly on 26 November and is currently being reviewed. It is likely to be passed in February, according to local media.
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Tariffs are paid by companies who import products. In this case, US firms will pay a 25% tax on goods they buy from South Korea.
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Trump has frequently used tariffs as leverage to enact foreign policy during his second term in the White House.
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On Saturday, he threatened Canada with a 100% tariff if it struck a trade deal with China.
On Monday, Chinese officials said its "strategic partnership" agreement with Canada is not meant to undercut other countries.
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said his country was not pursuing a free trade deal with China and has "never" considered it.
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He added that Canadian officials have made their position clear to their American counterparts.
Before that, Trump said he would impose import taxes on eight countries - including the UK - who opposed US plans to seize Greenland, an autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark which is a member of Nato.
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He later backed down from the tariff threat over Greenland citing progress towards a "future deal" over the island, but the episode strained US relations with Denmark and other Nato allies.
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