USTR opens forced-labor probe into 60 partners, including South Korea

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has opened an investigation into 60 trade partners over goods produced with forced labor, including South Korea, with the aim of blocking such imports. The move signals a broad effort to scrutinize global supply chains for labor abuses.

The 60 targeted countries include South Korea, China, Japan, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates, among others. The list was released on Dec. 12 local time, as part of Washington’s push to curb forced-labor products entering the U.S. market.

This announcement comes as the United States seeks new tariff actions following a ruling that mutual tariffs were nullified. The USTR indicated that, on Dec. 11, it also launched a Section 301 investigation into 16 economies, including South Korea, to determine whether additional tariffs are warranted.

Jameson Grayer, the USTR chief, said that while there is international consensus against forced labor, some countries are not doing enough to prevent such goods from entering markets. He added that U.S. companies and workers face competition from overseas producers who gain cost advantages through forced labor, and that the investigation will assess whether foreign governments have taken sufficient action to address the issue.

For U.S. readers, the development matters because many consumer and industrial goods consumed in the United States rely on global supply chains. If the United States increases tariffs or imposes stricter import restrictions tied to forced labor, it could affect prices, sourcing strategies, and regulatory compliance for American companies.

The move underscores Washington’s focus on labor standards within global supply chains and the use of trade tools to influence practices abroad. The 60-country scope and the related Section 301 review point to potential shifts in how American policy seeks to shape overseas labor practices and corporate accountability.

From a U.S. policy perspective, the actions demonstrate how labor rights and national-security–related trade measures intersect, with potential implications for technology, manufacturing, and consumer markets that rely on international suppliers across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.