US launches Section 301 investigations into forced labor with 60 partners, Korea included
The U.S. Trade Representative has opened Section 301 investigations into forced-labor practices with 60 trading partners, including South Korea. The move follows a U.S. federal court ruling last month that reciprocal tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were unlawful, and the administration is pursuing this route to explore replacement measures.
The investigations are intended to determine whether actions, policies, or practices related to forced labor in those countries’ production and export chains are unfair or discriminatory, and whether they burden U.S. commerce or impede American businesses.
Among the 60 target economies are Canada, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam, among others.
The USTR has requested consultations with the affected nations. Written comments are due by April 15, and a public hearing is scheduled for April 28, with a potential extension to May 1 if needed.
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said it will engage with the United States to maintain the balance of benefits under the Korea–U.S. trade framework and to avoid disadvantage relative to major peers.
The government added that it will establish a joint public-private response system, involving government, industry, and experts, to address the 301 investigations in a systematic way.
For U.S. readers, the case matters because Section 301 investigations can lead to new tariffs or other trade measures that shape supply chains, especially in technology and high-value manufacturing sectors. If pressures from forced-labor issues rise, U.S. companies could face higher costs or disruptions in importing components and goods produced abroad, with implications for prices, inflation, and market access.
Context for non-Korean audiences: Section 301 of the Trade Act authorizes the United States to address foreign practices that burden U.S. commerce. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act underpins the legal framework for these measures. The Korea–U.S. relationship also operates within the broader framework of the KORUS Free Trade Agreement, under which both sides seek balanced benefits and cooperative engagement on trade rules, labor standards, and supply-chain resilience.