South Korea Monitors U.S. AI Chip Tariffs Amid Semiconductor Sector Uncertainty
South Korea’s Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan stated the government will closely track newly imposed U.S. tariffs on advanced AI semiconductors, including Nvidia’s H200 and AMD’s MI325X processors. The 25% duty excludes chips for U.S. data centers and startups, mitigating immediate impact on Korean manufacturers.
Industry representatives raised concerns after a WHITE House fact sheet hinted at potential broader tariffs to incentivize domestic chip production. Such measures could disrupt global supply chains and create volatility for crypto-related hardware manufacturers relying on these components.
The move coincides with growing demand for high-performance chips in blockchain and AI applications, where companies like Nvidia and AMD dominate GPU supply. Market analysts suggest tariff escalations may accelerate Asia-Pacific semiconductor self-sufficiency efforts.
