Washington: President Lee Jae Myung expressed difficulty in accepting Washington's demand for strategic flexibility concerning U.S. forces stationed in South Korea. The long-standing alliance between Seoul and Washington is on the brink of significant change, potentially aimed at countering China.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee, during his flight from Tokyo to Washington for an important summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, mentioned that the meeting would cover various issues, with security, defense cost-sharing, and tariff negotiations taking precedence. A key point of contention is the role of the 28,500 U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) troops. Washington seeks more mission flexibility as part of a broader strategy against China, a move Lee finds hard to agree with.
Lee stated the necessity of discussions on a future-oriented strategic transformation of USFK. The Trump administration's push to "modernize" the alliance could require higher South Korean defense spending and adjustments in USFK deployment amid efforts to counter China's assertiveness.
Trade and economic matters are also expected to feature in Lee's discussions with Trump. The talks follow a deal that reduced tariffs and included a $350 billion investment pledge from Seoul, although disputes persist over market access. Lee emphasized the importance of honoring existing agreements and expressed optimism about reaching a reasonable conclusion.
Lee plans to address North Korea issues during the summit, underscoring dialogue with Pyongyang as essential amidst the North's rejection of peace initiatives. The meeting follows Lee's proposal of a three-stage denuclearization plan for North Korea.
Before visiting Washington, Lee held talks in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, focusing on enhancing bilateral and trilateral cooperation with the U.S. Despite avoiding sensitive historical issues, Lee faced domestic criticism but stressed the importance of Korea-Japan cooperation.
Lee's visit to Tokyo first was part of a strategic move to strengthen trilateral relations, deviating from the tradition of visiting the U.S. first. He reaffirmed the U.S. alliance as central to South Korean foreign policy and emphasized stable management of China relations, dismissing concerns over his perceived pro-China stance as subjective, advocating for pragmatic diplomacy based on interests.