The tariff war triggered by Trump has begun, with China becoming the first target. As a result, there are concerns that Apple, which produces most of its products in China, will be hit hard, while Samsung Electronics' smartphones are expected to benefit in the short term. However, some fear that this is merely a 'breathing pause.' With China now facing additional U.S. tariffs, there is a growing possibility that Korea's exports of intermediate goods, such as semiconductors, to China could be affected. Particularly, since President Trump had promised to impose tariffs on all countries during his campaign, home appliance companies with production bases in Mexico are likely to be forced to revise their strategies.

At 12:01 AM on February 4 (Eastern Time), the tariff increase on China, which President Trump had previously announced, went into effect. Meanwhile, on February 3, President Trump decided to delay the imposition of a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada for one month, just one day before it was set to be implemented.

As most of Apple's production facilities are based in China, the company is expected to be directly impacted, with forecasts suggesting that Samsung Electronics' smartphones could see short-term gains. More than 85% of Apple's iPhone production is carried out in China. Due to the tariff measures, a price increase for the iPhone has become inevitable. If iPhone prices rise, Samsung Electronics may see a boost in its price competitiveness.

However, it is uncertain whether Apple will receive the same exemption from tariffs that it did during the first Trump administration, when the company was granted some relief on certain products.

The issue is that while South Korea has avoided being the primary target of these tariffs, this may only be a temporary reprieve. If the prices of Chinese-made IT products such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets rise in the U.S. market, it could lead to a decrease in South Korea's exports of intermediate goods to China.

According to analysis by Counterpoint Research, based on data from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), it is predicted that 80% of Chinese-made finished products related to displays imported into the U.S. will be affected by tariffs. As a result, a contraction in the U.S. IT and home appliance markets could lead to a reduction in production within China, which in turn may result in a decline in South Korea’s exports of intermediate goods to China, such as semiconductors and wireless communication components. This is especially concerning given that while the U.S. has agreed to delay the imposition of tariffs on Canada and Mexico, this situation may not last long.

President Trump has consistently advocated for imposing a universal tariff of more than 10% on all countries as part of his campaign promises, so there is a possibility that additional tariffs could soon be expanded to other countries. Moreover, if the U.S. government does not take further action on the border issue with Mexico within a month, the threat of reintroducing tariffs could be revived at any time.

Both Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have most of their production facilities in Mexico. Samsung produces TVs and home appliances in Tijuana and Querétaro, which are located near the U.S. border, while LG Electronics manufactures home appliances and electronics in Reynosa, Monterrey, and Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. As a result, companies in industries such as home appliances and batteries with factories in Mexico, Canada, and other countries are likely to face inevitable strategic adjustments.

The home appliance industry, having experienced a 20-50% tariff bomb on washing machines during the first Trump administration, has since built factories in the U.S. in response, and industry analysts believe that companies in this sector have strengthened their ability to respond to similar challenges in the second administration.

It is reported that Samsung Electronics is considering producing some of its products, such as dryers, at its Newberry plant in South Carolina, which currently manufactures products at its Querétaro facility in Mexico.

Han Jong-hee, Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics, stated at a press conference held during CES 2025 in the U.S. last month, "As you know, Samsung has quite a number of factories around the world. We are not concentrating on one particular location, but we will make good use of this advantage."

It is also reported that LG Electronics is considering relocating some of its production, such as refrigerators, to its factory in Tennessee, USA.

Kim Chang-tae, Chief Financial Officer of LG Electronics, stated during a conference call on January 23, "If the level of tariff increases requires fundamental changes to the supply chain structure, we believe that utilizing our know-how in operating production facilities in the U.S. could lead to more proactive changes in our production location strategy."

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