Lead

South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said Thursday that the U.S. government is expected to announce the results of its investigation into alleged overproduction under Section 301 of the Trade Act by the end of August. Speaking at a forum hosted by the Kwanhun Club, a Seoul-based journalists' association, Kim said the announcement is expected by the end of the month, according to Yonhap News.

Coverage Comparison

The multiple reports from Yonhap News present consistent information about the expected timeline of the U.S. investigation and related tariff details. All accounts quote Kim directly on the August timeline and the efforts to keep tariffs within the 15 percent ceiling. Beyond the core trade news, some versions add details about Kim's stance on workweek rules and bonus schemes, which are not included in shorter versions of the story. The core facts about the tariff rates, the 15 percent ceiling, and trade figures are uniformly reported across all versions.

Key Claims

US Section 301 Investigation Timeline

According to Kim, the U.S. is expected to announce the results of its Section 301 investigation into alleged overproduction by the end of August. The investigation is separate from a forced labor probe that already led to new tariffs last month.

Tariff Rates and Ceiling

Under the new tariff scheme announced last month, South Korea is subject to 12.5 percent tariffs, along with Japan and Switzerland. The tariffs, ranging from 10 percent to 12.5 percent, were imposed on imports from 60 trading partners after a forced labor investigation under Section 301. Kim said the two countries have agreed that any tariffs imposed under the Section 301 investigation would not exceed 15 percent, in line with the Seoul-Washington tariff agreement concluded last year.

Trade Figures

South Korea exported $122.9 billion to the United States and imported $73.4 billion last year, making the U.S. South Korea's second-largest trading partner.

Workweek Exemption Call

Kim also called for exempting companies in the proposed mega-special economic zones from the country's 52-hour workweek restriction, saying "the system should not stand in the way of young people's willingness to work."

Bonus Scheme Opposition

On operating profit-linked bonus schemes, Kim made clear his opposition to awarding bonuses based on a fixed percentage of operating profit without approval from a company's board of directors or shareholders. He said corporate and capital market laws should be revised to give proper oversight.