When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump's so-called "reciprocal tariffs," based on his interpretation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, were unlawful, trading partner nations were caught in a dilemma. Korea, a major ally and trading partner, must grasp that the tariff landscape has become even more opaque. Determining the U.S.' intentions going forward — and its impact on Korea's major sectors — will be key to how the Korean export machine performs for the year 2026. In the wake of the ruling, Trump immediately raised tariffs on global trading partners to 10 percent, and then to 15 percent the day after, invoking Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the U.S. will be leveraging Section 232 and Section 301 tariff authorities that have been "validated through thousands of legal challenges," adding that he hopes that countries will honor their agreements with the United States. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that the U.S. was investigating potential unfair trade practices by China and Br