While South Korean imports to the U.S. face 25% tariffs, the same as Trump promised in April, the rate on Japan has been raised by 1 percentage point to 25%.

The country’s new president, in office for a little over a month, had just dispatched his senior deputies to Washington to try to work out a trade deal.

The top military chiefs of the US, South Korea, and Japan met in Seoul Friday, as President Donald Trump ups the pressure over defense spending and trade.

The United States’ closest security allies in Asia, along with several Southeast Asian countries, have been given another three weeks to negotiate trade deals — or face higher tariffs.

In 2018, South Korea handed President Donald Trump the first trade victory of his administration. Under the agreement, new South Korean steel export restrictions were put in place and more U.S. automakers could export their cars to South Korea.

President Donald Trump issued separate letters to the president of South Korea and Japan's prime minister on Monday, saying the U.S. will start charging a 25% tariff on Aug. 1. He also sent letters to 12 other countries.

In letters so far to 14 countries, including smaller exporters to the United States such as Serbia, Thailand and Tunisia, Trump hinted at opportunities for additional negotiations, even while warning that reprisals would draw a like-for-like response.

The U.S. will put in place a 25% tariffs on imports from Japan and South Korea starting on Aug. 1, according to letters posted by President Donald Trump on his social media platform on Monday. Trump wrote to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung to inform them of the news, citing unfair trade balances.

South Korea said it will review regulations flagged by the US while pressing for an easing of sectoral tariffs after President Donald Trump sent a letter with a new August deadline for imposing 25% across-the-board levies.

By Jeff Mason, Bart H. Meijer and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday began telling trade partners – from powerhouse suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players – that sharply higher U.