Korea's chief trade negotiator sacked amid growing US tariff pressure
Korea's chief trade negotiator has been dismissed from his post, officials said Saturday, as Seoul faces mounting tariff pressure from the United States amid a series of unresolved bilateral trade issues. Yeo Han-koo was notified of his dismissal by the Ministry of Personnel Management on Friday, an official at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, without elaborating on the reason for…
South Korea's top trade negotiator, Yeo Han-koo, has been removed from his position, officials announced on Saturday, amid growing pressure from the United States over tariff issues and unresolved bilateral trade disputes. Yeo was informed of his dismissal by the Ministry of Personnel Management on Friday, though the exact reason for the decision was not disclosed.
The dismissal arrives at a critical juncture for South Korea's trade relations with the U.S., as the country faces increasing U.S. pressure to expedite investment commitments under a bilateral tariff agreement and a dispute concerning fines imposed on e-commerce giant Coupang following a data breach incident. On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation increasing tariffs on various items, including drones and their components, with a 15 percent tax on Korean imports.
Prior to his current role, Yeo had served as the trade minister under the Moon Jae-in administration before being reappointed in May 2025. Since assuming office again, he has been instrumental in trade negotiations.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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