National Security · Public Policy · Economy·April 2, 2025
Executive Order 14257 invokes IEEPA for 25% South Korea duties
Trump imposes 25% tariffs on ally South Korea citing emergency
On Apr. 2, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14257 imposing a 25 percent “reciprocal” duty on most South-Korean imports under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act (White House EO 14257)
Section 3(b) of EO 14257 pauses tariff collection for 90 days, establishing a negotiation window that ends on Jul. 8, 2025, unless exemption agreements are reached (White House Clarification of Exceptions)
Section 232 (19 U.S.C. §1862) authorizes the president to impose tariffs on national-security grounds—Congress may override such actions only by a two-thirds vote in both chambers (Congress.gov Section 232 explainer)
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signalled that a second-wave Section 232 levy targeting semiconductors will follow the blanket 25 percent tariff (Reuters – Lutnick interview, 2025-04-13)
U.S. electronics imports in 2024 reached approximately $486 billion, making electronics the second-largest import category and subjecting chips and data-center equipment to the new duties (Reuters – Tariffs & data centers)
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