Lee faces test amid Trump’s push for security contributions from allies
President Lee Jae Myung will meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House for their first summit on Aug. 25, with the leaders of the two allied countries expected to address sensitive security and trade issues.
Lee's spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Tuesday that the president would leave Seoul on Aug. 24 for a three-day trip, which also includes a working lunch with Trump on the day they hold the summit.
The summit will put Lee’s diplomatic skills to the test as he seeks to prioritize national interests while bolstering the alliance amid rising US-China tensions.
The two leaders are also expected to finalize the details of a bilateral tariff agreement reached on July 30. There is also speculation that the Trump administration may revive its push for higher South Korean defense contributions and what Washington calls “alliance modernization” to reshape the bilateral partnership.
Regarding the summit agenda, Lee's spokesperson said the two leaders would discuss ways to advance the alliance in a"future-oriented, comprehensive and strategic" manner to counter global security and economic challenges.
South Korea and the US cemented their alliance following the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War.
The talks will also cover peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, she said. Economic cooperation in semiconductors, batteries and shipbuilding, as well as partnerships on cutting-edge technologies and critical minerals, are also on the agenda, she added.
As for reports that Lee might also visit Japan around the time of his US trip, Kang said nothing had been confirmed, adding that many possible scenarios were being taken into account.
Regarding the possibility of Lee visiting a shipyard in the US — in support of the"Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" pledge made during the tariff negotiations — Kang said it could happen but did not elaborate.
Seoul is not currently reviewing having South Korean business leaders accompany Lee on the trip, but Kang said that could change if any concrete discussions take place.
The upcoming trip will be Lee's first to the United States since his inauguration on June 4. It will be his second trip overseas as president, following his visit to Canada to attend a Group of Seven summit in early June.
In late July, Trump announced that the US had reached a trade agreement with South Korea just before Washington's Aug. 1 deadline.
Under the agreement, the US will impose new tariffs of 15 percent on Korean imports, including automobiles and auto parts, instead of a proposed 25 percent. In addition, South Korea promised $350 billion worth of investment in projects in the US, including in shipbuilding, and $100 billion in energy purchases.
Trump hinted at the time that he would invite Lee to the White House within two weeks. The visit is occurring later than that"because of working-level arrangements," Kang said, adding that first lady Kim Hea Kyung would accompany Lee on his trip.
Lee has yet to appoint a South Korean ambassador to the US. With the departure of Cho Hyun-dong, appointed by Lee's predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, acting Ambassador Lee Joon-ho now leads South Korea's diplomatic mission in Washington. When asked when the position might be filled, Kang said the decision was yet to be made.
