Core Viewpoint - The increase in U.S. tariffs has led to a significant decline in South Korea's exports, raising concerns for the trade-dependent South Korean economy. Ongoing tariff negotiations between the U.S. and South Korea are currently at a standstill, with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol publicly questioning the U.S. demands as excessively harsh [1][3]. Export Decline - South Korea's exports have been adversely affected by U.S. tariff pressures, with a reported 10.6% year-on-year decline in total imports and exports for the first 20 days of September, compared to a 6% increase in August [2]. - Despite this, unadjusted figures show a 13.5% increase in exports and a 9.9% increase in imports for the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of $1.89 billion. Semiconductor exports remained strong, growing by 27%, while automotive exports increased by approximately 15% [2]. - The imposition of a 15% tariff on South Korean goods has created greater challenges for exporters, particularly as there are warnings that semiconductors may be included in future tariff lists [2]. Negotiation Stalemate - A preliminary agreement was reached in July, where South Korea committed to establishing a $350 billion investment fund in exchange for a reduction in U.S. tariffs from 25% to 15%. However, negotiations have stalled due to disagreements over the investment structure and the need for a currency swap agreement [4]. - U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasized that South Korea must accept the terms or face higher tariffs, citing Japan's acceptance of similar terms as a precedent [4]. Domestic Concerns - President Yoon expressed concerns that accepting U.S. demands without adequate safeguards could lead to a repeat of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, highlighting the disparity in foreign exchange reserves between South Korea and Japan [4]. - The South Korean government is monitoring export trends and seeking multilateral cooperation to mitigate the impact of tariffs, but there are fears that an expansion of tariffs could undermine the recovery of South Korean exports [3]. Labor Issues - Recent enforcement actions in Georgia against a South Korean battery plant, resulting in the detention of over 300 workers, have heightened diplomatic tensions and added uncertainty to trade negotiations. President Yoon expressed anger over the treatment of workers but maintained that this incident would not damage the bilateral alliance [6].

【环球时报驻韩国特约记者 黎枳银 环球时报记者 丁雅栀 环球时报特约记者 韩雯】11日上午，韩国总统李在明在青瓦台举行就职百日记者会。据 韩国纽西斯通讯社介绍，这场原计划90分钟的记者会最终持续了150分钟。李在明共回答了22个问题，比就职30天记者会时多了7个问题。"恢复与 正常化的时间"，这是李在明在开场发言中对过去100天的简单概括。除了经济、韩朝关系等"传统话题"，美国拘留300多名韩国公民成为11日记者 会上主要焦点之一。李在明直言，此事导致韩企在对美投资时"非常犹豫"。接受《环球时报》记者采访的专家表示，现任韩国政府提出的"务实外 交"正面临多重挑战。对于李在明上任百天的执政表现，韩媒作出各种评价：纽斯频通讯社称，在民生与经济恢复方面，李在明倾注全力，获得超 出预期的评价；《中央日报》认为，李在明需要拿出更多民众感受得到的成果；《国民日报》则说，"接下来才是真正的考验"。 记者会细节引发关注 据纽西斯通讯社11日报道，李在明当天系上了在光复节出席"国民任命仪式"时戴过的白色领带，以此强调自己的"初心"。韩国《每日经济》注意 到一些其他细节：李在明出场后与前排记者一一握手，并在挑选提问时特意指定女性 ...

报道称，在华盛顿看似示好的姿态背后，实则是其在重新调整战略姿态。华盛顿已开始向韩国、日本、 澳大利亚和菲律宾等关键地区盟友施压，不仅要求它们增加国防开支，还要求在与中国的任何潜在对抗 中，更明确地与美国立场保持一致。 【环球时报综合报道】据韩国《朝鲜日报》24日报道，了解近期高层磋商的美韩官员透露，特朗普政府 已正式要求韩国扩大《美韩共同防御条约》范围，以涵盖更广泛的印太地区。报道称，这一举动可被解 读为，美国希望韩国"在台湾发生紧急情况时发挥作用"。 报道援引消息人士的话称，美国常务副国务卿兰多本月18日在日本东京举行的会谈中敦促韩方将韩美同 盟重新定义为"未来型全面战略同盟"。兰多还提出美国所谓的"同盟现代化"的其他内容，包括增加韩国 的国防开支、为美国在该地区部署战略资产分摊更多费用。消息人士称，美国已正式要求韩国将国防预 算从目前占GDP的2.3%提高到5%。在韩美本月早些时候举行的外交部和国防部局长级磋商中，美方官 员也提到相关提案。报道认为，虽然韩方有意根据国际形势逐步增加国防预算，但美国要求韩国在美中 军事冲突中发挥更明确的作用，将使得李在明政府陷入艰难的政治境地。 7月21日，美国国防部长赫格 ...