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U.S. Trump Administration Initiates 'Section 301' Investigation Against Over 40 Countries, Including Korea, China, Japan
USTR Launches 'Section 301' Investigation
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) officially announced the initiation of a Section 301 of the Trade Act investigation via its website. The investigation targets 16 economic entities (approximately 40 countries), including South Korea, China, Japan, and the European Union (EU). The U.S. government will form a joint 'Section 301 Committee' with various departments and is set to commence official procedures around March 17, beginning with the reception of written comments.
Section 301 of the Trade Act grants the U.S. administration the authority to respond to foreign government policies and practices that unfairly or discriminately affect U.S. trade, primarily through the imposition of tariffs. This provision has historically been used as a means to pressure other countries with tariffs, and the current action was foreshadowed as an alternative measure after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled reciprocal tariffs illegal last month.
Allegations of Overproduction Against South Korea and Others, With Prospects of Additional Tariffs
In its announcement of the investigation's launch, USTR pointed to South Korea's large trade surplus as evidence of structural overproduction. It analyzed that South Korea maintains its surplus by leading exports in sectors such as electronic equipment, automobiles, steel, and ships. Previously, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bassett estimated that strengthening the authority of Section 122 of the Trade Act and Sections 232 and 301 tariffs would not significantly change tariff revenues by 2026.
USTR Representative Jay Mi-sun Greer expected that the investigation would reveal various unfair trade practices. While it is difficult to predict the investigation's outcome at this stage, it is highly probable that additional tariffs will be imposed on most of the targeted countries, including South Korea, and these are expected to commence before the end of July.
*Source: YouTube: YTN (March 12, 2026)*
