[Photo] Trump temporarily exempts South Korea from steel tariffs

South Korea has been granted a temporary reprieve from US President Donald Trump’s steel tariffs, with Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong telling Yonhap News on Mar. 22 that the administration had agreed to exempt South Korea from the new duties until the end of April. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had originally made the announcement during a US Senate hearing on Mar. 22, saying that Trump had agreed to authorize a “pause” on the tariffs for South Korea, the EU, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada, and Mexico. The US and South Korea are currently engaged in negotiations to revise the KORUS FTA, and the issue of steel tariffs will likely continue to factor into those discussions. (by Yoon Woon-sik, staff photographer)