With a snap election looming, South Korea's rival parties jockeyed for position with vows to focus on the economy and livelihood, but the leaderless country remains hamstrung when it comes to confronting the biggest threat: Trump and tariffs.

South Korea's acting president Han Duck-soo ordered on April 3 an "all-out" response to the United States' higher-than-expected reciprocal tariffs on imports from the country.

China, Japan, and South Korea agreed to a joint response to US tariffs after their first economic dialogue in five years. They plan to strengthen supply chains, cooperate on export controls, and pursue a free trade agreement.