U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that South Korea’s reciprocal and auto tariff rate will be set at 15%, averting a steeper 25% levy ahead of the 1 August deadline.
The announcement follows intense trade negotiations between Washington and Seoul in recent weeks, as South Korea sought to avoid the full 25% tariff that had been threatened by the United States.
The agreed 15% rate brings South Korea in line with Japan, which signed a similar trade deal earlier this month. South Korean officials had previously indicated they were pushing for parity with Japan’s terms.
The deal covers key export sectors including automobiles, steel, and semiconductors. It is seen as a strategic compromise aimed at maintaining stability in the high-tech supply chain and avoiding disruption in trade flows between the two allies.
South Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo had led a high-level delegation to Washington in the final push for the agreement. President Lee Jae Myung earlier said the talks were "not very easy," but necessary to protect South Korea’s industrial base.
Details of Seoul’s concession package are expected to include increased cooperation in shipbuilding, green energy, and advanced tech sectors, along with a potential multi-billion-dollar investment pledge by South Korean conglomerates.
Türkiye has banned children under 15 from using social media under new regulations published on Saturday. ...
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed surprise after Donald Trump mediated the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in 2025, the U.S. President ...
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 ...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for her efforts to promote peace and international law,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2026 will be announced on Friday, 9 October, bringing one of the world's most closely watched awards back into focus.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed surprise after Donald Trump mediated the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in 2025, the U.S. President said at a rally in New York state on Friday.
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 injured in a single week as Russian strikes hit residential areas, passenger buses and critical infrastructure.
Air quality in Singapore plunged to “very unhealthy” levels on Friday, 9 October, as thick haze engulfed the city-state ahead of Sunday's Formula One Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen claimed pole position for Saturday's Sprint race.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit two Yandex data centres in Russia on consecutive days, disrupting digital services as Kyiv intensifies attacks on Russia's digital infrastructure.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
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