South Korea is sending its trade minister to the US this week to discuss tariffs after President Donald Trump’s administration hit the Asian ally with a 25% levy, among the highest duties to be imposed on a US security ally.

South Korea's finance minister said on Monday the government would prepare support measures for sectors with urgent needs, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's 25% tariff, which will come into force this week.

President Donald Trump ignited a global trade war by announcing a plan to impose a 10% baseline tariff on most goods imported to the United States on April 2 and higher duties on more than 60 countries under the so-called reciprocal tariff scheme.