U.S. tariffs last year have dragged down the total volume of South Korea's washing machine exports....but Korean firms did well in defending their share of the American washer market.<br />Our Choi Si-young explains. <br />In February last year, the U.S. imposed heavy tariffs on foreign washing machines to protect its domestic manufacturers such as Whirlpool Corporation.<br />Samsung and LG Electronics, which top the U.S. washer market, suffered a blow to their exports last year.<br />According to Korea International Trade Association, the two companies' exports to the US last year were roughly two-hundred-million U.S. dollars, down by forty-four percent from the previous year.<br />But, their market share in the U.S. last year recorded a one-percent jump..., retaining their top spots in the U.S. washing machine market with a combined 37-percent market share.<br /><br />That was possible because the two tech-giants increased production in their South Carolina and Tennessee plants to meet local demand.<br /><br />Another reason is that the two companies continue to have success in selling premium appliances, increasing total sales.<br /><br />However, industry experts caution that operating factories abroad will lead to fewer domestic jobs.<br />The Korea International Trade Association said that in 2017, almost 90-percent of total washing machines manufactured by Korean firms are produced overseas.<br />They also point out that the continuing fall in washing machine export volume is another obstacle the companies have to overcome in the coming years.<br /><br />Choi Si-young, Arirang News. <br />
