The Donald Trump administration in the United States will maintain its tariff policy on "small parcels" valued at $800 (about 1.15 million won) or less.
On the 20th (local time), President Trump said he still believes it is necessary to continue suspending duty-free de minimis treatment and signed an executive order to keep the suspension of small-parcel duty-free treatment in place.
Earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court found President Trump's reciprocal tariff measures based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) unlawful, but the move to abolish tariff exemptions for small parcels based on the same IEEPA will continue to be implemented.
President Trump asserted that the "national emergency," which formed the basis for suspending the de minimis treatment, remains in effect, and said through the executive order that this is separate from the legal basis for other tariff measures such as reciprocal tariffs or the "fentanyl tariff."
With the Supreme Court ruling on the 20th shaking the legal foundation of existing tariff measures based on the IEEPA, the suspension of de minimis treatment is interpreted as being emphasized in the new executive order as remaining in place independently.
The new executive order takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the 24th.
In the past, the United States did not impose a tariff if the value of products an individual brings in per day did not exceed $800, but President Trump abolished the duty-free scheme, saying it was exploited to circumvent tariffs or smuggle risky items such as fentanyl.
The scope of application expanded from China and Hong Kong in May to the remaining countries after July.
The IEEPA, which took effect in 1977, grants the president the authority to "regulate" imports by declaring a national emergency if conditions abroad are determined to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security, foreign policy, or the U.S. economy.
The Trump administration had argued on this basis that tariffs were included within the import-regulation authority, but the Supreme Court held that tariffs are the exclusive authority of Congress and are not included within the authority to regulate imports.