National Power Party floor meeting [Seoul=Yonhap News]

Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized on the 27th Donald Trump, the U.S. President, for announcing an increase in tariffs on South Korean products to 25%, stating, "All responsibility lies with the President and the government."

At the floor leadership meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Song said, "President Lee Jae-myung and the government have ignored the ratification process for major trade agreements that require parliamentary approval."

He pointed out, "Our party repeatedly emphasized that parliamentary ratification approval is a prerequisite for the ROK-U.S. tariff agreement. It was a natural course of action to propose and pass legislation if necessary after obtaining ratification approval." He added, "However, the government and ruling party claimed that ratification approval was not necessary."

He continued, "Most importantly, since the Democratic Party proposed the Special Act on Investment in the U.S. in late November last year, the government has not made any requests to the National Assembly regarding this matter." He argued, "This is evidence that they were completely unaware of the impending situation and did nothing."

He then proposed, "The People Power Party must quickly meet with the government and ruling party to consult and resolve this situation. Let's hold an emergency agenda inquiry at the National Assembly immediately to understand the ROK-U.S. trade situation."

The People Power Party also raised issues of responsibility regarding Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who visited the United States from January 22nd to 26th and held talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

Secretary-General Jeong Hee-yong criticized at the floor leadership meeting, "Prime Minister Kim recently visited the U.S." and expressed, "I have serious doubts as to whether proper discussions on the agenda took place."

Rep. Park Soo-young, the opposition party's whip for the National Assembly's Finance and Economy Committee, also lambasted, "It has been only one day since Prime Minister Kim returned, boasting about establishing a hotline with Vice President Vance, and now we have been betrayed." He asked, "Didn't the Lee Jae-myung administration know anything until President Trump made this decision?"

Rep. Kim Geon, the opposition party's whip for the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, also targeted Prime Minister Kim, questioning, "It is doubtful whether they properly read the U.S. sentiment and responded." He urged, "The Democratic Party should stop evading responsibility and bring the tariff negotiations and investment in the U.S. issues to the National Assembly for normal verification and cooperation."

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, posted on Facebook, "The government and ruling party still have not clarified whether this agreement requires parliamentary ratification as a 'treaty' or is a 'memorandum of understanding (MOU)'." He questioned, "If it was an MOU that did not require ratification, why could the U.S. use the 'disapproval' as a reason for retaliation? Conversely, if ratification was required, why did they try to circumvent it with the Special Act on Investment in the U.S.?"

Earlier, early this morning, President Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social, "The South Korean legislature is not honoring the agreement between South Korea and the United States." He stated, "Accordingly, we are raising mutual tariffs on automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals, and all other goods from 15% to 25%."