South Korea’s President Lee faced a crucial test as he prepared for his first summit with President Trump.
South Korea’s President Lee faced a crucial test as he prepared for his first summit with President Trump.
South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, faces a defining moment on Monday as he meets United States President Donald Trump in Washington for their first summit. The high-stakes meeting comes as the decades-old alliance between Seoul and Washington is tested by shifting global geopolitics and growing economic pressures.
Lee, who assumed office in June following a snap election triggered by the removal of his conservative predecessor for attempting to impose martial law, hopes to establish a balanced approach to foreign policy. While South Korea relies heavily on the US for security, including military support and nuclear deterrence, Lee also seeks to maintain stable relations with China, Seoul’s largest trading partner.
Ahead of his departure, Lee dispatched a special delegation to Beijing carrying a message aimed at restoring ties strained in recent years. The move signals his intent to strengthen South Korea’s position by maintaining constructive relations with both Washington and Beijing.
Tensions between Trump and Seoul have long been evident. The US president has frequently criticised South Korea, labelling it a “money machine” that benefits from American military protection without sufficient returns. For Lee, this summit presents an opportunity to establish rapport with Trump while avoiding potential friction.
“For Lee, a no-news summit I think would be good,” said Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, suggesting that avoiding controversies may be key to a successful outcome.
Speaking to reporters aboard his flight to Washington, Lee revealed that he had read “Trump: The Art of the Deal” as part of his preparations. Trade remains a sensitive topic after South Korean negotiators secured a last-minute deal last month to avert steep US tariffs. While an agreement was reached, the details surrounding billions of dollars in planned South Korean investments in the US are yet to be finalised.
Lee’s administration hopes these negotiations will be handled at a working level rather than becoming a central focus of the summit. “There are many major topics in the security field,” Lee’s top policy aide, Kim Yong-beom, said last week. “Our position is that trade was already finalised last time. We hope that specific implementation plans for trade won’t be included in the summit at all, or at least should be kept simple if discussed.”
Several senior South Korean officials, including the foreign minister, arrived in Washington over the weekend to iron out last-minute details ahead of the talks. After the summit, Lee is scheduled to visit a Philadelphia shipyard owned by South Korea’s Hanwha Group. The visit will highlight Seoul’s planned contributions to revitalising the struggling US shipbuilding industry, a key element of the broader tariff agreement between the two countries.
The summit is expected to set the tone for future cooperation on security, trade, and regional stability as both nations navigate a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
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