Seoul Blasts Proposed 12.5% USTR Forced Labor Tariff as "Unwarranted"

South Korea has called the US Trade Representative's proposed 12.5% tariffs on South Korea and other countries, over forced labor concerns, "unwarranted" and "disproportionate" to the Asian economy's relevant circumstances. The South Korean Embassy in Washington submitted comments to the office on Monday, formally challenging the proposal asking for the tariff to be reconsidered. The Korean government noted that the report has no hard evidence specifically implicating Korea, saying "the report lacks factual basis to support its conclusion". The USTR conducted trade investigations into 60 countries, including South Korea, China and Japan, over forced labor concerns under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, following which it proposed 12.5% tariffs on South Korea and 45 other economies. "Should the United States nevertheless determine that it is necessary to impose tariffs on the economies under investigation, Korea would like to stress that it should be granted more favorable treatment than initially proposed," it said.