Foreign media reports indicate that South Korean trade negotiators have suggested collaborating with Taiwan to seek semiconductor tariff concessions from the United States. In response, Da-Nien Liu, Director of The Regional Development Study Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER), stated that this matter involves 3 major questions: the veracity of the reports, whether South Korea has contacted Taiwan through official channels, and whether the United States would be willing to accept a Taiwan-Korea “joint negotiation” model.
Director Da-Nien Liu pointed out that the United States currently pursues tariff negotiations globally on a “bilateral” and “case-by-case” basis, with negotiation content taking the form of comprehensive “package” deals that include procurement, investment, and market opening. No multilateral or cross-border joint negotiation mechanism exists. Therefore, South Korea’s claim regarding cooperative negotiations is itself questionable.
In the semiconductor sector, Taiwan has deeper investments in the United States and a more comprehensive strategic presence, giving it superior negotiating conditions compared to South Korea. Joint negotiations with South Korea, which operates from a different foundation, would not only make it difficult to distinguish respective interests but could also dilute the advantages Taiwan already possesses.
Director Da-Nien Liu also noted that South Korea has a free trade agreement with the United States, meaning its level of market openness differs from Taiwan’s, making the 2 parties structurally incomparable. Furthermore, South Korea has not sought Taiwan’s cooperation on other negotiations with the United States, choosing to “approach Taiwan” only on semiconductors, which raises questions about its motives. South Korea has been compelled to invest $350 billion in the United States, a strategy quite different from Taiwan’s approach of leveraging market openings during negotiations.
Taiwan should maintain its own interests in negotiations with the United States, leveraging its existing advantages to secure the most favorable treatment while avoiding being used by other countries in ways that could affect the nation’s overall strategic positioning.
Author: CIER Editorial
Team Date: November 25, 2025