The South Korean government revealed plans to continue negotiations with Washington on non-tariff measures ahead of the anticipated U.S. reciprocal tariff declaration. The statement by the industry ministry on Tuesday follows the release of the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) annual report on foreign trade barriers.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, as reported by Yonhap news agency, stated that the government will address U.S. concerns over non-tariff measures through various channels, including working-level consultative bodies and the implementation committee under the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA).
The USTR unveiled the 2025 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, which is expected to influence the Trump administration’s declaration of reciprocal tariffs scheduled for Wednesday.
The ministry noted that the report evaluated South Korea more positively than other U.S. trade partners, emphasizing that around 80% of tariffs on industrial and consumer goods in bilateral trade have been removed under the KORUS FTA. The 2025 report identified 21 non-tariff barriers in South Korea, reflecting an increase from the previous year but fewer than the figures recorded in reports before 2023.
The 21 barriers identified include sanitary and phytosanitary measures on agricultural goods, such as limits on U.S. beef products from animals older than 30 months, along with digital trade obstacles like network usage fees, proposed regulations on online platform operators and restrictions on the export of location-based data.
The ministry explained that the latest NTE report reiterated numerous issues in last year’s edition, and efforts are ongoing to resolve Washington’s concerns. The ministry added that the government would thoroughly review the NTE report to formulate response strategies while continuing its tariff negotiations with the United States.
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