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| ▲ This file photo, released by Reuters, shows U.S. President Donald Trump delivering remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 2, 2025. (Yonhap) |
US court-Trump tariffs
U.S. Supreme Court rules against Trump's reciprocal tariffs
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday against President Donald Trump's sweeping emergency tariffs, dealing a major setback to his trade policy and raising questions over trade deals with South Korea and other partners that he has secured with the duties as a key negotiating tool.
The high court handed down the ruling on the legality of Trump's use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to levy "reciprocal" tariffs on South Korea and other countries, amid expectations that Washington would have to initiate a complicated tariff refund process in case of a court loss.
The Trump administration has levied reciprocal tariffs of 15 percent on South Korean products, down from 25 percent following a bilateral deal under which Seoul has committed to investing US$350 billion in the United States, among other pledges, in return for the tariff reduction.
In late August, a federal appeals court ruled that the IEEPA-based tariffs exceeded presidential authority, affirming a lower court's decision in May.
On April 2, a day he dubbed "Liberation Day," Trump announced his tariff plans, arguing that a lack of "reciprocity" in trade with trading partners and their trade barriers led to "large" and "persistent" trade deficits, which he said posed an "unusual" and "extraordinary" threat to U.S. national security and the economy.
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