SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's Industry Ministry said on Monday it will respond to the looming 50% U.S. tariff on steel products as part of its trade discussions with Washington in order to minimise the impact on industry.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he planned to increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% from 25% starting Wednesday, ratcheting up pressure on global steel producers and deepening his trade war.

South Korea is the fourth-biggest exporter of steel to the United States, behind Canada, Mexico and Brazil last year, according to American Iron and Steel Institute data.

South Korea's Industry Ministry said in a statement that it had held an emergency meeting with officials from the country's major steelmakers, including POSCO (005490.KS) and Hyundai Steel (004020.KS).

Shares of South Korean steelmakers lost ground on Monday, with POSCO and Hyundai Steel falling 3% and SeAH Steel Corp (306200.KS) down 6.3% in morning trade.

The 50% tariffs will add challenge to Korean steel exporters which have refrained from sharply boosting exports to the U.S. to avoid Washington scrutiny, despite rising U.S. steel prices, an industry executive told Reuters.

"It will be a burden to exporting companies, if there are no additional steel price increases in the U.S," he told Reuters, asking not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Despite tariffs, South Korea's steel shipments to the United States rose 12% in April from a year earlier, according to trade data.

Steel and aluminum tariffs were among the earliest put into effect by Trump when he returned to office in January. The tariffs of 25% on most steel and aluminum imported to the U.S. went into effect on March 12.

Industry officials said the tariffs have increased steel prices in the United States, impacting several sectors, including home appliances, cars, and construction.

TRADE TALKS

South Korea, a major U.S. ally, has called for the exemption of tariffs on steel, autos and others items, during talks with the United States.

Seoul agreed in late April to craft a trade package by the end of the 90-day pause on Trump's reciprocal tariffs in July, but it has been difficult for negotiators to make big decisions due to a political leadership vacuum.

In late March, Hyundai Steel announced a plan to build a $5.8 billion factory in Louisiana in response to U.S. tariffs, but the factory will not open until 2029. In April, Hyundai Steel's bigger rival POSCO signed a preliminary deal to make an equity investment in the factory project.