US-South Korea
US official says Trump administration will seek separate semiconductor tariff deals
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The Trump administration will pursue separate semiconductor tariff agreements with individual countries, a US official said, following a deal with Taiwan this week. The agreement allows Taiwanese firms building US chip capacity to import materials tariff-free up to 2.5 times planned output during construction. South Korea's trade minister assessed the impact on local chipmakers as limited.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick welcomed Korea Zinc Co.'s plan to jointly invest in a critical metals refinery in Tennessee as a 'big win for America.' The initiative involves a strategic partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Commerce to build the facility. The investment is estimated at around 10 trillion won ($6.8 billion).
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South Korea and US defense chiefs agreed in Seoul to develop a roadmap expediting conditions for wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer. The pact aligns with President Lee Jae Myung's push to regain OPCON by 2030. The joint communique omitted pledges to maintain current US Forces Korea levels, fueling drawdown speculation.