Seoul struggles with Trump’s tariffs amid leadership vacuum

SEOUL – As tough tariffs emerge with every scrawl of US President Donald Trump’s pen, South Korea’s ongoing political crisis and leadership vacuum could not have come at a worse time.

His latest proclamation on Feb 10 of a sweeping

25 per cent tariff on all steel and aluminium imports

“without exceptions or exemptions” jolted Seoul bureaucrats into action, as they scrambled to reach out to the White House, something they have had little visible success with since Mr Trump took office for a second term on Jan 20.