S. Korea's chief trade negotiator sacked amid growing U.S. tariff pressure

South Korea's chief trade negotiator, Yeo Han-koo, has been dismissed from his post amid growing U.S. tariff pressure, according to Yonhap News. The dismissal was communicated by the Ministry of Personnel Management on Friday, though the specific reason for the decision has not been disclosed. This move comes at a critical juncture for bilateral trade relations, as Seoul is under increasing pressure from the United States to expedite investment commitments under a bilateral tariff deal and address a dispute over fines against the e-commerce giant Coupang following a personal data breach.

President Donald Trump recently signed a proclamation imposing new tariffs on drones and their components, including a 15 percent levy on imports from South Korea. Yeo had previously served as trade minister under the Moon Jae-in administration and was reappointed to the post following the inauguration of the Lee Jae Myung administration in May 2025.

Brief written by urgent.news from Yonhap News's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.