[Anchor]

The automotive industry is the most anxious about the stalled negotiations.

Competitors like Japan have already lowered tariffs through negotiations, and if we remain unchanged, it will be difficult to compete in the U.S. market.

This is Jeong Jae-woo reporting.

[Report]

Hyundai Motor Group increased its market share in the U.S. from 8.5% in 2020 to 10.8% last year.

During this period, our automobile exports to the U.S. also more than doubled.

With excellent quality relative to price and a 0% tariff due to the Korea-U.S. FTA, we had a competitive edge over Japanese and European cars, which face a 2.5% tariff.

However, the situation changed when the U.S. imposed a blanket 25% tariff on automobiles starting in April.

Today, Kia announced its second-quarter operating profit.

It has decreased by more than 24% compared to last year.

This is due to the burden of 780 billion won in tariffs.

If tariffs are not reduced through negotiations, the second half of the year will be even more serious.

[Kim Seung-jun/Kia Finance Headquarters Director/Kia Q2 Performance Announcement: "In the first half, there were impacts from the months of May and June, but in the second half, we will fully feel the impact of those tariffs."]

Japan, our biggest competitor in the U.S. market, has already lowered its automobile tariff to 15%.

The European Union is also reported to be in final negotiations with the U.S. to apply a 15% tariff on most products.

If Korea can also reduce its tariff to 15%, it is projected that Hyundai and Kia could save about 2.6 trillion won in operating profits through next year compared to the current 25% rate.

Conversely, if we cannot lower it that much, competing in the U.S. market will become difficult.

[Kim Kyung-yu/Senior Researcher, Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade: “If others are getting 15% tariffs, we need at least that much to maintain a fair level of competition.”]

Meanwhile, the U.S. automotive industry has reacted by calling the tariff reduction for Japan a 'bad deal.'

It seems that the burden is increasing for our country ahead of the next negotiations.

This is KBS News, Jeong Jae-woo reporting.

▣ KBS 기사 원문보기 : http://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?ncd=8314031

▣ 제보 하기
◇ 카카오톡 : 'KBS제보' 검색
◇ 전화 : 02-781-1234
◇ 홈페이지 : https://goo.gl/4bWbkG
◇ 이메일 : kbs1234@kbs.co.kr

Copyright ⓒ KBS. All rights reserved. 무단 전재, 재배포 및 이용(AI 학습 포함) 금지

• 페이스북 공유
• 트위터 공유
• 

•