- Response measures on CBAM and U.S. tariff policy shared, with a special lecture by Katrina Chang, Special Advisor for International Trade Policy -

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) held a briefing for local companies on response strategies for the United States and European Union (EU) trade barriers.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Incheon held a briefing on March 11 at the Incheon Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s main auditorium to share strategies with local small and medium-sized enterprises amid changes in the global trade environment and rising trade barriers in the U.S. and EU.

The briefing was arranged in response to changes in U.S. trade policy following the launch of the second Trump administration and the full implementation of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

With recent U.S. tariffs and tighter EU carbon regulations expected to increase the burden on businesses, the briefing focused on providing practical information that can help local small and medium-sized companies effectively respond to changes in the trade environment.

The briefing covered response measures for the EU’s CBAM and strategies for responding to changes in U.S. tariff policy. The EU’s CBAM mandates companies exporting six product categories (including steel and aluminum) to the EU to report carbon emissions and purchase CBAM certificates. Business costs are expected to rise as a result.

The final session of the day featured a special lecture by Katrina Chang, Special Advisor for International Trade Policy for Incheon and Senior Advisor at Kim and Chang.

Katrina Chang is a U.S. tariff expert with about 27 years of experience at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), where she worked on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) enforcement, anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and trade regulation, while also taking part in negotiations led by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

The lecture covered changes in tariff policy under the Trump administration, recent court rulings related to international trade, and shifts in the global tariff environment, while also presenting response strategies for businesses. She also explained the role of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, actual tariff enforcement cases, and the background of U.S. laws and institutions, helping attendees better understand current changes in the global trade environment while gaining practical working-level knowledge.

Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok stated, “The global trade order has recently been changing rapidly, with both tariff and non-tariff barriers strengthening at the same time. As these changes directly affect the export environment for local businesses, preemptive action and a support system at the local government level are important.”

He added, “Incheon will establish a response system involving experts and relevant agencies, while strengthening policy support for a more systematic response to changes in the trade environment and for minimizing the impact on local businesses.”

Meanwhile, Incheon is currently operating an emergency task force on U.S. trade policy to respond to changes in the global trade environment and growing external economic uncertainty.