[U.S. Think Tank: If South Korea Receives Exemption from Iran, Trump May Impose Additional Tariffs on South Korea] Jin10 Data, April 8 – Victor Cha, Chair of Korean Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), stated on Wednesday that if South Korea receives an exemption from Iran allowing its ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Trump may retaliate against South Korea by imposing additional tariffs or punitive tariffs. Furthermore, even if Iran agrees to allow passage, only a few stranded ships would be able to pass through the strait, as the majority of the ships are owned by entities related to the U.S. or Saudi Arabia. Among South Korea's four major refining companies, three are partially owned by U.S. or Saudi interests, excluding SK Energy. The think tank noted that given South Korea's government oil reserves can sustain the country for approximately 26 days, it is unlikely that South Korea will take measures to seek exemption rights from Iran.