Trump: "We'll work something out with South Korea"…Tariff-hike remarks leave room for talks

US President Donald Trump said he would work with South Korea to come up with a solution regarding his plan to raise tariffs on South Korean products. His comments marked a step back a day after he directly mentioned the possibility of a tariff increase.

On Aug. 27 (local time), just before departing for Iowa, Trump was asked by reporters about raising tariffs on South Korean goods and reiterated that negotiations could lead to adjustments, saying, "We'll work something out with South Korea."

The remarks are seen as leaving room to ease or withdraw the tariff-hike plan through dialogue with South Korea—signaling a diplomatic approach after issuing a hard-line message.

A day earlier, Trump criticized on social media platform Truth Social that the passage of a special bill in South Korea’s National Assembly to boost investment in the United States was being delayed. In response, he said he would raise tariffs on South Korean products, including automobiles, back to 25% from the current 15%.