White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt speaks at a briefing on the 5th (local time). EPA Yonhap News

On the 5th (local time), the White House said it had no information regarding the timing of tariff increases on Korean-made products.

At the briefing that day, when asked ‘When will tariffs on Korean goods be raised?’, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt answered, “We do not have a timetable for that.” She said, “We will ensure the White House trade team can respond promptly.”

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at Korea’s National Assembly on the 26th of last month, pointed to delays in handling the ‘Special Act for Korea·U.S. Strategic Investment Management’ (Special Act on Investment in the United States) and announced that per-item tariffs on Korean automobiles·lumber·pharmaceuticals, etc., as well as all other ‘reciprocal tariffs’, would be raised back to 25%, the level prior to the Korea·U.S. trade accord (15%).

In response, Minister Kim Jeong-gwan of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Yeo Han-koo, head of trade negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, urgently visited the United States and met with senior officials in the U.S. administration·Congress. Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the United States to discuss implementation of the Korea·U.S. Joint Fact Sheet (joint explanatory material).

However, despite these efforts, the outcome sought by the Korean side, such as the withdrawal of the tariff increases, has not yet been achieved. Upon returning from the United States on the 5th, Director General Yeo said, “What matters is whether the tariff increases take effect immediately, or whether there is a 1~2-month grace period.”