U.S. names South Korea's trade barriers ahead of reciprocal tariff impositions

With the Trump administration to announce further tariffs in the upcoming days, a recent U.S. report on foreign trade barriers is getting more attention.

The report states that South Korea's regulations on imported vehicles and pricing of medical products remain as obstacles.

Ahn Sung-jin reports.

The Trump administration is putting scrutiny on South Korea's trade barriers.

The United States Trade Representative on Monday local time released a 7-page National Trade Estimate report, which stated that emissions-related regulations on imported vehicles and the pricing of pharmaceutical products remain a barrier to trade.

The U.S.' concerns came from a lack of transparency despite South Korea's Clean Air Conservation Act layout, and added that market entry for U.S. automotive manufacturers into South Korea remains a top priority.

Korea's prioritization of local technology over foreign technology in defense procurement has also been labeled a barrier.

In the case of the pharmaceutical and medical industry, the report said Korea lacks transparency and opportunity for stakeholders to "input into proposed policy changes."

It also noted Seoul's import ban on American beef from cattle aged 30 months or older, calling the restriction a transitional measure.

Other trade barriers include digital trade barriers such as network usage fees that allegedly feed into a monopoly of internet service providers.

The USTR releases an annual report to the President and Congress that documents obstacles for U.S. exporters and solutions including efforts to overcome these barriers.

Though these trade barriers have already been brought up in the past, with Trump's hard-line tariff impositions, they seem more pertinent.

Trump's efforts to impose reciprocal tariffs will resume from the beginning of April.

He has stated that further details will become clearer between the night of April 1st or 2nd Eastern Time.

Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.