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| ▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) holds talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25, 2025. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump following their talks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (4th from L, front) holds talks with U.S. President Donald Trump (5th from L, front) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25, 2025. (Yonhap) |
(News Focus) Lee-Trump-summit
(News Focus) Lee, Trump align on shipbuilding cooperation, N. Korea dialogue, but thorny issues remain
By Kim Eun-jung
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump presented their close alignment on efforts for shipbuilding industry cooperation and diplomacy to reengage with a recalcitrant North Korea during their first in-person summit this week, as Lee sought to build rapport with the American leader.
Yet thorny questions remain over the future of the bilateral alliance, as South Korea navigates an array of diplomatic and security challenges, including Pyongyang's advancing nuclear threats and military ties with Russia, and the tough task of deepening the treaty alliance with Washington while maintaining stable ties with Beijing.
The two leaders met at the White House on Monday, just weeks after Seoul and Washington struck a trade deal to reduce "reciprocal" tariffs on Korean goods to 15 percent from the proposed 25 percent in exchange for Seoul's US$350 billion investment pledge and $100 billion in U.S. energy purchases, among others.
In the summit, Lee pledged South Korea's efforts to help revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry under the slogan "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again," or MASGA, a project where Seoul has set aside $150 billion from the total $350 billion investment pledge.
On top of the investment commitment, South Korean companies announced plans to invest about $150 billion in the form of foreign direct investment in semiconductors, vehicles, batteries and other sectors.
While there were differences over market access to South Korea's agricultural sector, the sensitive issue was not covered in the summit to Lee's relief.
North Korea featured prominently just days after Pyongyang rejected Lee's peace overture.
Lee threw his support behind Trump's pursuit of dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, calling on Trump to play a "peacemaker role" to chart a "new path" for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Trump expressed his expectation that he and Lee can make "big progress" over diplomacy toward North Korea.
"I look forward to your meeting with Kim Jong-un, and construction of Trump Tower in North Korea and playing golf" there, Lee said, drawing a smile from Trump.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his openness to reengage with the North Korean leader, fueling speculation that he would seek to revive his personal diplomacy with Kim. Trump met with Kim three times during his first term -- Singapore in June 2018, Hanoi in February 2019 and the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in June 2019.
Lee's visit to Tokyo last weekend apparently struck a positive note ahead of his summit with Trump, given that the U.S. has long pursued stronger trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan, with historical grievances between the two Asian allies at times getting in the way.
Stressing that the Seoul-Washington alliance is the "foundation" of his foreign policy, Lee assured Trump that the closer ties between Seoul and Tokyo would pave the way for stronger trilateral cooperation.
Trump said Tokyo wants to get along with Seoul, noting the two neighbors have "something in common" -- the need to confront North Korean threats.
While Lee and Trump saw eye to eye on efforts for shipbuilding cooperation and diplomacy with North Korea, potential strains remain in the alliance.
Lee and Trump discussed the future trajectory of the alliance and reached a "broad consensus" on its "modernization" toward strengthening the allies' joint defense posture, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said, but details remain unclear.
The concept of alliance modernization is viewed as sensitive, as it is expected to involve adjustments to the role or operational scope of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea under the framework of "strategic flexibility," as Washington prioritizes countering an increasingly assertive China.
The Trump administration has also pressed Asian allies to increase defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product, far above South Korea's current 2.3 percent.
Against this backdrop, Lee said South Korea will spend more on defense spending to play a "more leading" role in ensuring security of the Korean Peninsula.
Further friction looms as Trump floated the idea of the U.S. taking "ownership" of base land Seoul has provided to host American troops. The ownership idea involves a legal issue -- a revision of a mutually agreed-upon legal framework for the American troops -- and could trigger political backlash in Korea.
Without a joint statement on the summit's agreements, Lee's office highlighted the "warm and friendly" atmosphere the two leaders showed in their first encounter. It expressed hope they would forge closer relations to further advance the alliance.
Monday's summit began on a shaky note, as Trump took to social media just hours before Lee's arrival at the White House to denounce what he called a "purge or revolution" in South Korea.
It was seen as an apparent reference to ongoing special counsel investigations into former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been detained over his martial law bid in December.
At the Oval Office meeting, Trump softened his tone, saying, "I'm sure it's a misunderstanding."
After they shared experiences of past assassination threats and Trump's meeting with the North Korean leader over lunch, Trump praised Lee in a press availability as a "very good guy" and a "very good representative for South Korea."
(END)
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