The Chey Institute for Advanced Studies and the Korean Council on Foreign Relations co-hosted an academic forum to examine changes in the international trade environment and Korea’s policy responses following the U.S. Supreme Court’s February 2026 ruling that deemed the Trump administration’s reciprocal tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) unconstitutional. The forum was convened against the backdrop of renewed uncertainty in the global trading system, as the United States subsequently imposed a 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act while simultaneously initiating Section 301 investigations targeting major trading partners, including Korea, over issues such as structural overcapacity and forced labor.

Bringing together leading experts in international trade and economic policy, the forum provided a platform for in-depth discussion on how these shifts in U.S. trade policy are reshaping the global trade order and impacting the Korean economy. Participants assessed the implications of escalating trade measures and explored strategic and policy options for Korea to effectively respond to a rapidly evolving and increasingly uncertain trade environment, with a focus on safeguarding national economic interests and enhancing policy resilience.