South Korea's businesses complained that the EU’s carbon border tax would lead to unfair double taxation as the country has already adopted its cap-and-trade system.
The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), which represents over 400 businesses, had requested the EU to exempt South Korea from its tariff plan, dubbed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
The FKI, which added that it could grow into a new type of trade protectionism, has yet to receive a response from the EU.
The organization had not sent a similar request to the US, which is still in the early stages of planning.
Last month, the EU put forward plans to levy on importations by economies with laxer climate rules from 2026. US lawmakers followed suit, floating plans of including the tariff as part of a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill.
Cho Gyeong-lyeob, the chief economist at the Korea Economic Research Institute, noted that South Korea's energy-intensive industries, such as steel and cement, are set to suffer if the carbon border tax is levied in a coercive manner.
The Bank of Korea (BOK) pinpointed the country's autos and shipbuilding industry to be hit most by the tariffs, with the steel industry next.
Cho added that the pace of cutting back industrial carbon emissions has to be in line with the development of green technologies, which could reduce emissions costs.
If both the EU and the US levy carbon border taxes, South Korea’s outbound shipments would shed 1.1 percent, or $7.1 billion, every year, according to the BOK.
The EU’s charge of $50 per ton of carbon dioxide emissions would cost South Korea’s exports $3.2 billion annually. If the US adopts the same $50 rule, the tariff would cost an additional $3.9 billion every year.
The tax could also eliminate South Korea's cost advantage in manufacturing and affect its trade ties with China, which is expected to be heavily hit by the tax rules as the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter.
The BOK noted that if the US and EU take into account the cap-and-trade system, which currently levies $15 for every ton of emissions, the tax would be cut by $35 per ton. That means South Korea’s annual exports would only shed 0.7 percent.


Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure
SoftBank Shares Slide After Arm Earnings Miss Fuels Tech Stock Sell-Off
Once Upon a Farm Raises Nearly $198 Million in IPO, Valued at Over $724 Million
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target
Toyota’s Surprise CEO Change Signals Strategic Shift Amid Global Auto Turmoil
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO 



