SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - The Trump administration has expanded tariffs on steel-derived goods to include a wide range of major home appliances, a move expected to heighten costs for foreign manufacturers and potentially ripple through U.S. retail prices.
The new measures, announced by the Commerce Department this month and taking effect Monday, target appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, cooking stoves and garbage disposals.
The tariffs will be assessed based on each product’s steel content, a calculation designed to incentivize domestic sourcing of steel and reduce dependency on imports.
The move poses a fresh challenge for South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, two of the largest appliance exporters to the United States.
Analysts warn the expanded duties could erode the price competitiveness of Korean brands in an already fragile consumer market.
The action echoes a similar policy from 2018, when tariffs on imported washing machines — initially set at 20 percent and rising to 50 percent — were imposed following a petition by Whirlpool.
Those duties were credited with pushing washing machine prices up by about 20 percent by mid-2018. From February 2018 through February 2023, washing equipment prices climbed 34 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The broader implications for global supply chains — and South Korea’s tech giants in particular — remain unclear. Samsung and LG have both expanded manufacturing operations within the U.S. in recent years, but they continue to rely on global sourcing for parts and components.
reporter
Candice Kim
candicekim1121@ajupress.com
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