Japan's tariff deal with US puts pressure on Korea over agriculture imports, Alaska gas project

Korea is facing growing pressure to increase American agricultural imports and participate in an Alaska gas development project in its tariff negotiations with the U.S., as Japan accepted these U.S. demands in return for lower “reciprocal” tariffs and sector tariffs on cars. As Seoul’s top negotiators prepare for scheduled talks with their U.S. counterparts on Friday, they now have a mission to cut the Donald Trump administration’s planned levy of 25 percent tariffs on Korea to Japan’s level or lower, to maintain the competitiveness of Korean companies. Washington and Tokyo reached a deal to reduce reciprocal duties on Japanese products to 15 percent from 25 percent. U.S. tariffs on Japanese cars also dropped to 15 percent from 27.5 percent, although the rate for steel and aluminum products remains unchanged at 50 percent. The deal came as Tokyo agreed to increase U.S. rice imports and invest in the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline project as a preparatory step toward buying LNG from the U.S. state. Trump said Tuesday (local time) that Japan would also open itself tWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times