U.S. White House Official Says Work Underway to Raise Global Tariff to 15% (Comprehensive)

Attention on Possible Impact of Coupang Issue
Kang Kyung-wha: "Consultations on Response with Korean Firms Operating in U.S."

Yonhap News Agency

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has implemented a global tariff to replace the "reciprocal tariff" that was nullified by a Supreme Court ruling, and is reportedly working on the practical steps to raise the tariff rate from the current 10% to 15%. At the same time, it is also conducting investigations into unfair trade practices, drawing attention to whether Coupang will end up playing the role of a catalyst.

Reuters reported on the 24th (local time), citing a White House official, that there has been no change in President Trump’s basic stance of raising the global tariff to 15%. However, this official did not mention specific details such as when the rate would be raised to 15%.

On the 20th, immediately after the Supreme Court ruling, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a 10% global tariff. The following day, he announced via social media (SNS) that the rate would be increased to 15%. Then, starting at 12:01 a.m. on the 24th (2:01 p.m. on February 24, 2026, Korea time), a new 10% tariff was applied to all U.S.-bound exports from around the world, except for "exempt items." Some observers believe that the 10% rate will be applied for now and that the administration will soon raise the tariff rate through procedures such as issuing a proclamation.

Regarding this, Kang Kyung-wha, South Korea’s ambassador to the United States, said the same day, "Our government plans to respond in a way that best serves our national interest with respect to the Supreme Court ruling," adding, "We will closely monitor follow-up measures by the Trump administration and support efforts so that consultations with the United States by the Korean government can be conducted in a friendly atmosphere." On the issue of reciprocal tariff refunds, she noted, "Uncertainty about the procedures still remains," and stressed, "We will work closely with Korean companies operating in the United States and economic organizations to ensure that accurate information is delivered to our companies in a timely manner."

President Trump has also announced that he will concurrently conduct investigations into "unfair trade practices" based on Section 301 of the Trade Act and "national security threat" investigations under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Among these, Section 301 of the Trade Act is the provision cited by U.S. investors in Coupang, which has become the subject of an investigation in South Korea over a massive personal data leak, when they requested an investigation by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The USTR may decide to launch an investigation if it determines that the case falls under the "potential for discrimination against digital goods and services," which it has identified as an important consideration in Section 301 investigations. The U.S. House Judiciary Committee, which conducted a closed-door deposition targeting Coupang the previous day, is known to have asked the South Korean government to explain the incident before starting the investigation.

Meanwhile, on the 20th, the U.S. Supreme Court nullified the reciprocal tariffs (country-specific differentiated tariff rates) and the "fentanyl tariffs" (tariffs imposed on China, Mexico, and Canada on the grounds of insufficient cooperation in blocking the inflow of the narcotic fentanyl into the United States), ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the president the authority to impose or collect such tariffs.