Sri Lanka, July 8 -- US President Donald Trump unveiled higher tariffs for Japan, South Korea and a dozen other countries in a push for new trade deals Monday -- but extended the deadline for the steeper levies to kick in until August.

Trump issued similar letters to countries including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Africa and Malaysia, saying he would slap duties on their products ranging from 25 percent to 40 percent.

These mark a step up from the 10 percent levy the president earlier imposed on almost all trading partners.

But the starting date of August 1 marks a delay in Trump's reimposition of higher duties, originally due Wednesday.

In near-identically worded letters to Japanese and South Korean leaders, Trump said US ...