Korea's chief trade negotiator fired amid growing US tariff pressure

Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, right, shakes hands with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer before their talks in Washington, July 21. Courtesy of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources

Korea's chief trade negotiator has been dismissed from his post, officials said Saturday, as Seoul faces mounting tariff pressure from the United States amid a series of unresolved bilateral trade issues.

Yeo Han-koo was notified of his dismissal by the Ministry of Personnel Management on Friday, an official at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, without elaborating on the reason for the decision.

His dismissal "has nothing to do with tariff negotiations between Seoul and Washington," a government official told Yonhap News Agency.

Amid speculation that his dismissal was related to personal misconduct, Yeo said in a statement that such speculation was unfounded and that he would consider taking legal action over false reports.

The dismissal comes at a sensitive time for bilateral trade relations, as Seoul faces growing U.S. pressure to accelerate its investment commitments under a bilateral tariff deal and a dispute over fines against U.S.-listed e-commerce giant Coupang over a personal data breach.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing new tariffs on drones and their components, including a 15 percent levy on imports from Korea.

Yeo previously served as trade minister under the Moon Jae-in administration and was reappointed to the post following the launch of the Lee Jae Myung administration in May 2025.

Since returning to the post, he has played a key role in trade negotiations with Washington, including talks over U.S. tariffs and Korea's investment commitments.