US President Donald Trump announced his intention to raise tariffs on a number of goods from South Korea from 15% to 25%, linking this decision to the fact that, according to him, the country’s parliament had failed to fulfill its obligations under a previously agreed trade agreement. According to Reuters, Trump wrote on social media that the increased rates would apply to South Korean cars, lumber, pharmaceuticals, and other goods subject to “reciprocal tariffs.” However, the report did not specify when the increase would take effect.
The South Korean authorities were taken by surprise by the announcement and declared their commitment to implementing the agreements; emergency consultations were held in Seoul, and relevant officials are preparing to contact the American side.
Against the backdrop of the news, South Korea’s KOSPI index fell during trading, then reversed and closed higher, while the won weakened. Hyundai Motor and Kia shares ended the session lower after a more noticeable decline during the day.
We remind you that under the agreement reached in 2025, the tariff on imports of Korean cars and auto components to the US was previously reduced to 15% from 25% and came into effect on November 1
IMPORTS, SOUTH KOREA, TARIFFS, TRUMP, US
South Korean prosecutors have sought the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk-yeol on charges of organizing a rebellion in connection with the imposition of martial law in December 2024, according to Western media reports.
According to Reuters, the prosecution believes that Yoon’s actions were unconstitutional and undermined democratic institutions. The former president himself rejects the charges. A court ruling on the case is expected in February. Reuters notes that although South Korean law provides for the death penalty for rebellion, there is a de facto moratorium on executions in the country, and the last execution was carried out in 1997.
According to the results of a survey conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club in August 2025, Ukrainians identified priority areas for the development of foreign economic relations.
The majority of respondents – 81.3% – believe that Ukraine should first and foremost develop economic cooperation with the countries of the European Union. The United Kingdom also received a high level of support – 66.5%, while the United States came in third with 62.7%.
Citizens also pay significant attention to Asian countries: 36.2% of respondents support expanding relations with Southeast Asian countries (Japan, South Korea, etc.), and 31.7% with China. At the same time, 29.5% pointed to the importance of deepening cooperation with countries in the Arab and Muslim world.
To a lesser extent, respondents are focused on partnerships with African and South American countries — this direction was supported by 14.8% of Ukrainians. Another 8.3% of respondents were undecided, and 1.0% believe that Ukraine does not need any new economic partnerships.
“These data clearly demonstrate the European and transatlantic orientation of Ukrainians in terms of economic priorities. The EU, the UK, and the US form the basis of foreign economic trust, while Asia and the Arab world are perceived as promising but secondary partners,” commented Active Group Director Oleksandr Pozniy.
According to Experts Club co-founder Maksim Urakin, the survey results confirm the real economic structure of Ukraine’s trade.
“The EU is already Ukraine’s main trading partner, accounting for over 40% of trade turnover, but if we analyze individual countries, China remains the leader. The high levels of support for cooperation with the UK and the US reflect society’s trust in Ukraine’s political and economic partners during this difficult period. At the same time, interest in Asia and the Arab world indicates the need to diversify markets and seek new opportunities in the future,” he stressed.
The survey was conducted using self-completed questionnaires among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and region.
ACTIVE GROUP, Arab countries, CHINA, EU, EXPERTS CLUB, GREAT BRITAIN, JAPAN, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SOUTH KOREA, TRADE, UKRAINIAN ECONOMY, URAKIN, USA
According to a survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with Experts Club in August 2025, more than half of Ukrainians have a positive opinion of South Korea.
In total , 53.3% of respondents expressed favorable attitudes toward this country (32.7% – mostly positive, 20.7% – completely positive). A neutral attitude was recorded in 30.7% of respondents, and negative assessments amounted to 13.3%. Another 2.7% said they did not know enough about the country.
“South Korea is perceived by Ukrainians as a modern high-tech country that is developing dynamically and at the same time preserving its cultural identity. Ukrainians see it as a potential partner, especially in the field of technology, education, and innovation,” said Oleksandr Poznyi, CEO of Active Group.
At the same time, Maksym Urakin, co-founder of Experts Club, emphasized the economic dimension of bilateral relations:
“In the first half of 2025, the total trade turnover between Ukraine and the Republic of Korea amounted to more than $518 million. Exports of Ukrainian goods amounted to only $96.9 million, while imports amounted to more than $421 million. This resulted in a negative trade balance of $324 million. The situation demonstrates the need for more active promotion of Ukrainian goods to the Korean market, particularly in the agricultural and food sectors,” he emphasized.
The research is part of the systematic monitoring of Ukraine’s international relations and public opinion about its partners in the world.
The full video can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgC9TPnMoMI&t
You can subscribe to the Experts Club YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, Poznyi, SOCIOLOGY, SOUTH KOREA, TRADE, UKRAINE, URAKIN
According to the results of a survey conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club in August 2025, more than half of Ukrainians have a positive opinion of South Korea.
In total, 53.3% of respondents expressed their favorability toward this country (32.7% — mostly positive, 20.7% — completely positive). A neutral attitude was recorded in 30.7% of respondents, while negative assessments accounted for 13.3%. Another 2.7% said they were not familiar enough with this country.
“South Korea is perceived by Ukrainians as a modern, high-tech country that is developing dynamically while preserving its cultural identity. Ukrainians see it as a potential partner, especially in the fields of technology, education, and innovation,” said Active Group CEO Oleksandr Pozniy.
At the same time, Maksim Urakin, co-founder of Experts Club, emphasized the economic dimension of bilateral relations:
“At the end of the first half of 2025, the total trade turnover between Ukraine and the Republic of Korea amounted to more than $518 million. Exports of Ukrainian goods amounted to only $96.9 million, while imports exceeded $421 million.
This resulted in a negative trade balance of $324 million. The situation demonstrates the need for more active promotion of Ukrainian goods on the Korean market, particularly in the agricultural and food sectors,” he stressed.
The study is part of the systematic monitoring of Ukraine’s international relations and public opinion regarding its partners in the world.
The full video can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgC9TPnMoMI&t
You can subscribe to the Experts Club YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SOUTH KOREA, TRADE, UKRAINE, URAKIN
Centravis Production Ukraine (Nikopol, Dnipropetrovs’k region), a member of Centravis Ltd. holding, has agreed to supply a new batch of stainless steel pipes to South Korea for the largest hydrogen production plant.
According to a press release on Monday, Centravis has received an order for seamless pipes for a new hydrogen production plant in the South Korean city of Ulsan.
It is specified that the volume of delivery is 15 tons, and the client from South Korea ordered pipes for furnaces.
The company noted that Centravis has previously fulfilled orders for hydrogen projects. In particular, the Ukrainian company became a participant in a project to produce hydrogen-powered cars in the EU.
“Centravis has also agreed to supply seamless pipes from a German company specializing in hydraulic connections for the production of hydraulic connections with a high degree of leakage protection, in particular in projects using hydrogen and compressed natural gas.
“We are actively working in the Asian and Middle Eastern markets. And this contract is another step forward for us, especially since the construction of a hydrogen production plant has already become a landmark project for South Korea and the entire region,” said Artem Atanasov, Centravis Sales Director.
The construction of the Ulsan plant is expected to be completed in 2026. Its capacity will be 92,000 cubic meters per hour, or 8.2 tons. The volume of investments is about $157 million. It will be the largest hydrogen production plant in South Korea.
The press release states that Ulsan has become the center of the country’s hydrogen industry. Hyundai Motor and local authorities have recently agreed to create a hydrogen ecosystem in the city. In particular, the Korean automotive manufacturer presented a prototype of a hydrogen tram with a range of up to 150 km and a refueling time of up to 10 minutes.
The city recently unveiled the world’s first complex of “hydrogen apartments” that uses electricity and heat from hydrogen fuel cells, which provides significant savings in electricity costs.
As reported, in 2023, Centravis increased its production by 12% to 12.2 thousand tons. More than 98% of its products are supplied to foreign markets. The company has exported its products to 38 countries, including Germany, Italy, the USA, Japan, South Korea, the UAE, Oman, and others.
Today, Centravis is among the world’s ten largest producers of seamless stainless steel pipes.
“Founded in 2000, Centravis is one of the ten largest producers of seamless stainless steel pipes in the world. Its main production facilities are located in Nikopol (Dnipropetrovska oblast). In 2023, the company opened a branch in Uzhhorod.
Centravis Holding Ltd. was established on the basis of Nikopol Stainless Steel Pipe Plant CJSC, service and trading companies of Production and Commercial Enterprise YUVIS LLC. Its shareholders are members of the Atanasov family. Centravis Ltd. owns 100% of the shares of Centravis Production Ukraine.
