The interim president of South Korea, Choi Sang-mok, expressed his concern about President Donald Trump's decision to impose global reciprocal tariffs starting April 2, a measure that could directly affect the exports of South Korean companies established in countries like Mexico. During a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex in Seoul, Choi stated that the Trump Administration's "America First" trade policy "has started to target directly" South Korea, and this will require strategic measures to protect national interests.
The South Korean government outlined that it will begin consultations with the United States to mitigate the impact of these tariffs and strengthen bilateral cooperation in key sectors such as energy and shipbuilding.
While the South Korean government is looking for ways to minimize the impact of the tariffs, there is a possibility that South Korean companies with a presence in Mexico may be evaluating moving some of their operations to the United States to avoid potential cost increases resulting from President Trump's "America First" policy.
The White House has indicated that companies like Samsung and LG could be considering moving their plants from Mexico to the United States, emphasizing that Trump's policy aims to prioritize American workers and promote manufacturing in the country.
According to an article from KED, Samsung is assessing relocating part of the dryer manufacturing from its facility in Querétaro, Mexico, to its appliance factory in Newberry, South Carolina, United States. On the other hand, it is mentioned that LG Electronics is considering the option of transferring the production of refrigerators and televisions from Mexico to its facility in Clarksville, Tennessee, where it currently assembles washers and dryers.
