Korean Kitchen Sinks Also at Risk... Trump Imposes 25% Tariff on 'Wood' This Time

Investigation Ordered Under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act
Canada, Germany, and Brazil Mentioned
Korean-Made Sink Products Included in Scope of Investigation

U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated the possibility of imposing tariffs by ordering an investigation into the impact of imported lumber on U.S. national security. Products such as Korean-made sinks, which are manufactured using lumber exported from the U.S. and then re-exported back to the U.S., are also included in the scope.

On the 1st (local time), the White House announced that President Trump signed an order directing the Department of Commerce to investigate the national security impact of imports of logs, lumber, and related products under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.

Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act allows the U.S. president to restrict imports through appropriate measures such as tariffs if the import of certain items is deemed to threaten national security.

A White House official said during a pre-briefing call, "Malicious actors worldwide, including some harsh countries allied with us, are overproducing through subsidies and dumping these products into the U.S.," adding, "As a result, we are losing domestic manufacturing capabilities."

The official named Canada, Germany, and Brazil as countries dumping lumber and related products into the U.S., adding, "While they are the main actors, many other countries are also involved."

The official also said the focus is not only on lumber but also on derivative products, stating, "There is an issue where the logs we export return to us as finished products."

He further mentioned that "Korea does this as well," along with China, claiming that subsidies for items like sinks are causing harm not only to the logging industry but also to furniture companies.

Earlier, President Trump announced on the 19th that he plans to impose tariffs of about 25% on lumber-related products. The White House stated that if tariffs are imposed on lumber, they will be in addition to existing tariffs.

Even if tariffs are imposed on lumber, the impact on Korea is expected to be limited. According to the Korea International Trade Association, Korea's total furniture exports to the U.S. last year amounted to about $30 million (approximately 43.8 billion KRW).