South Korea's Korea Customs Service (KCS) announced a special investigation into breaches of the free trade agreement with the United States concerning country of origin labels. This comes ahead of impending tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump. Among 20 countries globally and one of three in the Asia-Pacific region with a trade deal with the U.S., South Korea will scrutinize exports for incorrect origin markings. The KCS will crackdown on companies deliberately mislabeling foreign goods as South Korean to safeguard local industries and ensure the legitimacy of exports. Anticipating stricter U.S. verifications post-tariff hikes, the KCS is taking proactive measures to shield domestic firms based on previous experiences during the initial Trump presidency. The investigation will prioritize products at higher risk of fraudulent labeling, particularly those with U.S. anti-dumping duties or under close monitoring by U.S. customs. In response to increased tariffs on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico, the Trump administration plans reciprocal tariffs against key trade partners by April 2.