Trump tariffs loom large in South Korea's 'steel city'

For decades, the city of Pohang fueled South Korea’s rapid economic rise with its steel industry, supplying key sectors like automobiles, shipbuilding, and electronics. Now, businesses, officials, and workers feared severe consequences as the U.S. prepared to impose a 25% tariff on all steel imports next month.

The measure threatened to destabilize the steel sector, triggering a chain reaction across industries and endangering livelihoods. Officials warned that a collapse could push the economy into an irreversible crisis, as South Korea, heavily reliant on exports, struggled with mounting economic pressure.