(URGENT) Trump signs proclamation to impose 15 pct on drones, components from S. Korea, Japan, others

US President Donald Trump has announced tariffs on imported drones and their components, citing national security concerns. The tariffs range from 15 to 100 percent, depending on the type of drone and its country of origin. According to the White House, a 100 percent tariff will be imposed on certain drones, including larger ones and those with thermal imaging capabilities.

The new tariffs will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on different dates, with some applying from September 3 this year and others from February 9 next year. The tariffs will apply to imports from various countries, including Korea, Japan, the European Union, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Britain. The US aims to reduce its reliance on imports in an industry dominated by China.

The tariffs were announced under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows the president to adjust imports for national security reasons. The New Straits Times reported that the 100 percent duty rate will apply to the import of certain unmanned aircraft systems, including those with a take-off weight of more than 25kg. The Korea Times provided additional details on the tariff rates for specific countries.

Brief written by urgent.news from New Straits Times, The Korea Times — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.