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Trade ministry says U.S. Supreme Court ruling nullifies Trump's 15 percent tariff on Korea

Published: 21 Feb. 2026, 14:57 Updated: 21 Feb. 2026, 15:49

WOO JI-WON
[email protected]

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at the White House in Washington on Feb. 20, 2026. [EPA/POOL/YONHAP]

Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said Saturday that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Friday decision to strike down U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs on trading partners effectively nullifies the 15 percent tariff imposed on Korean goods under the same legal basis.

The move came after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling Friday against Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose duties, including reciprocal tariffs, on trading partners, upholding a lower court’s decision.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan convened an emergency meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday to assess the impact of the ruling and discuss Seoul’s response measures.

“On Friday (U.S. time), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the reciprocal tariffs and fentanyl-related tariffs imposed by the U.S. government on various countries under IEEPA are unlawful and void. Accordingly, the 15 percent reciprocal tariff imposed on Korea is also nullified,” the ministry said in a press release issued Saturday.

However, the ministry said that tariffs imposed under other U.S. laws — such as the Trade Expansion Act, which serves as the basis for duties on automobiles and steel — will remain in place, as they are unrelated to the court’s ruling.

The ministry added that it will closely monitor developments in Washington regarding potential refunds of reciprocal tariffs, an issue not clearly addressed in the ruling. Approximately 6,000 Korean exporters are believed to be eligible to request reciprocal tariff refunds from U.S. customs authorities with the latest ruling.

On Monday, the trade minister will also chair a joint public-private meeting to assess industry-specific impacts and discuss countermeasures.

“While the ruling has slightly increased uncertainty surrounding exports to the United States, the overall export conditions secured under the Korea-U. S. tariff agreement will largely remain intact,” Kim was quoted as saying at the meeting.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]