Special Act for US Investment Passes Assembly, Establishing Basis for Protecting Daegu-Gyeongbuk Exporters

With the passage of the 'Special Act for US Investment,' which systematically manages South Korean companies' $350 billion (460 trillion won) investment in the United States and protects regional industries, a legal foundation has been laid for companies in Daegu and Gyeongbuk to manage their operations stably amidst external variables.

In 2025, Gyeongbuk's wireless telephone exports to the U.S. increased 4.5-fold, and Daegu's printed circuit exports for AI accelerators more than doubled in just one year.

Automotive parts, aluminum, and steel products are currently subject to a high tariff risk of 50% under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.

Kim Dong-wook, a team leader at the Korea International Trade Association's Daegu-Gyeongbuk Regional Headquarters, urged businesses to reconfirm U.S. item numbers to manage tariff responses, noting confirmed cases where companies avoided the 50% tariff through reclassification. Companies in Daegu and Gyeongbuk are increasing their market share for high-tech products in the U.S. while simultaneously diversifying their sales channels for high-tariff items to countries with Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), such as India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to spread risk.