According to preliminary data, South Korea's imports increased by 0.7% year-on-year to USD 54.21 billion in July 2025. This growth represents a deceleration from the previous month's 3.3% and fell short of market expectations of a 2% rise. These figures were reported in anticipation of the U.S. tariff agreement, despite Seoul implementing a KRW 30.5 trillion supplementary budget. This budget was intended to bolster the economy in the face of subdued consumption and trade challenges related to tariffs.