Seoul, South Korea: Sideny Sim had the opportunity to travel to the US for business a long time ago, which was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
Sim had long admired the US as a global force as well as a cultural juggernaut like many South Koreans.
Sim, a 38-year-old engineer who lives close to Seoul, doesn’t feel any of this love for the nation at this time.
Sim cannot help but feel betrayed as US President Donald Trump threatens to impose a 25% tariff on South Korea starting August 1.
According to Sim, “If they were once a nation that was regarded as a leader in culture, the economy, and the perception of being “good,” the US is now a threat to geopolitical balance.”
Deep and lasting ties exist between South Korea and the US.
With about 28, 000 US troops serving as a bulwark against North Korea, South Korea is one of Washington’s most enmity allies in Asia.
South Korea has a larger diaspora than any other nation in the US.
These ties are becoming jeopardized as a result of Trump’s “America First” campaign campaign returning to Washington, D.C.
In a Pew Research Center survey earlier this month, 61 percent of South Koreans had a favorable opinion of the US, down from 77 percent in 2024.
If South Korea can’t agree on a trade deal with the Trump administration by the August deadline, South Korea will likely experience severe economic disruption.
More than 40% of the Asian nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) is generated by exports, making it a major exporter of electronics, ships, and cars.
Trump also stated in a letter to South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung that the country pays “very little” to support the US Forces Korea (USFK) presence earlier this month that he had also addressed a letter to Lee Jae-Myung outlining his tariff threats.
Trump’s comments heightened rumors that he might demand an increase in the government’s funding for the USFK or increases in its national defense spending.
An “in-principle” agreement was possible by the deadline, according to Seoul’s top trade envoy after Trump last week told reporters that South Korea “wants to make a deal right now.”
Many South Koreans are upset about Trump’s trade policies because the time is running out for a deal.
Kim Hyunju, a Korean customer service agent, claimed Trump’s trade speeches did not seem fair despite the fact that her company would not be directly affected by the tariffs.
According to Kim, “It would only be fair if they are okay with us raising our tariffs to the same level as well,” Kim continued, noting that her feelings toward the US had been brought on by the Trump administration.
“I can’t help but think that the US is a powerful country that uses pure power plays and money to serve its interests,” Kim said.
“I’ve always seen the US as a special ally for us, particularly in terms of national defense,” he said. I appreciate how important it is for us to keep this friendly relationship, but when Trump also demanded more money for the US military’s presence in our nation, I kind of lost faith.
Kim Chang-chul, an investment strategist in Seoul, acknowledged the potential harm to South Korean businesses from Trump’s trade policies, but she still remained optimistic about them.
Kim told Al Jazeera, “The US tariff policy is a burden on our government and businesses, but the move really shows how thoughtful and strategic the US is,”
Trump wants South Korea to play a bigger role in US energy plans for Alaska. It is a result of US efforts to restore economic balance and geopolitical alignment.
The US opened discussions with South Korean officials earlier this year, which helped spur US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to South Korea, a major LNG importer.
A US ally like South Korea has had to struggle to understand Trump’s comments and actions, according to Keum Hye-yoon, a researcher at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP).
According to Keum, “Trump’s use of “fairness” in his tariff policy is based on unintended expectations of improving the US trade balance or reinforcing economic strength in some industries.”
Disregarding these structures and imposing high taxes will likely put a burden on US businesses and consumers because allies like South Korea work closely with US companies that share supply chains with them.
South Korean manufacturers have already reported some disruption, despite Trump’s most severe tariffs still pending.
According to preliminary data released by the Korea Customs Service on Monday, exports to South Korea decreased by 2.2 percent over the first 20 days of July from the previous year.
Exporters in the auto, steel, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical industries were particularly hit by Kim Sung-hyeok, the head of research at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Labor Institute.
Production orders in domestic factories have decreased significantly since the tariff announcements, according to Kim, who told Al Jazeera.
“Some steel and automotive production lines have temporarily shut down, and others have completely shut down.” Some of these places have seen a rise in voluntary resignations and redeployments.
Kim claimed that small businesses could be hit hardest by the tariffs because they are unable to “move their manufacturing plants to the US” or “diversify their trade routes outside of the US.”
These small businesses will also experience a shortage in product delivery volume, which will lead to employment disputes, he said, as major corporations are currently experiencing a general decline in exports.
The Korea Development Institute predicted that, in comparison to the 160, 000 increase in last year, the number of employed South Koreans would increase by just 90, 000 this year, in part because of the uncertainty in the economy.
US-South Korea relations had previously experienced difficult times even before Trump’s political emergence.
Two middle-school girls from South Korea were killed in a 2002 car-vehicle strike by the US Army.
The nation experienced an upsurge in anti-US sentiment and protests after the US soldiers involved in the incident were found not guilty of negligent homicide by a US military court.
Following a South Korean government’s decision to continue importing US beef despite concerns about the spread of Mad Cow Disease, nationwide protests began in 2008.
President Lee, who was elected in June, has stressed the importance of upholding good relations with China, which is the country’s biggest strategic rival and rival.
According to Keum, the US-South Korea relationship has developed into a “conditional ally,” in which “economic interests take precedence over traditional alliances.”
She said that the US is increasingly requesting South Korea to support its other socioeconomic initiatives, including China’s containment strategy.
To lessen the effects of Trump’s agenda, Keum argued that South Korea will need to look for alternative markets and diversify its exports.
Source: Aljazeera
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