On the 25th (local time), President Lee Jaemyung implemented the blueprint of his new administration's national interest-oriented pragmatic diplomacy during his first South Korea-US summit with US President Donald Trump. Contrary to some concerns, there was no so-called "surprise bill" from President Trump. Although the summit took place in a tense atmosphere due to an unexpected situation caused by President Trump's social media activity just before the meeting, it concluded smoothly in a friendly atmosphere. In particular, President Lee appeared upbeat during a discussion with John Hamre, President of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), following the summit, stating, "The outcome was very good."

First South Korea-US Summit under Lee Jae-myung Administration

Consistently Friendly Atmosphere
President Lee "The outcome was very good"
Discussed Korea-US cooperation and North Korea-US talks
Did not address detailed issues on trade and security

The South Korea-US summit, held at the White House Oval Office in Washington, D.C., lasted about 2 hours and 20 minutes. The meeting began at 12:43 p.m., later than scheduled, and continued until 2:59 p.m., running longer than expected. Of this, 54 minutes were open to the media. President Lee approached the summit with the goals of stabilizing economic and trade relations, modernizing the South Korea-US alliance, and pioneering new areas of cooperation, while President Trump mentioned cooperation in the shipbuilding industry and the resumption of dialogue between the US and North Korea.

Spokesperson Kang Yujeong explained regarding the closed-door extended meeting, "It was a time for the two leaders to build mutual affection and trust," adding, "President Trump inquired about the current political situation in South Korea and briefly reviewed trade and tariff negotiations, and the two leaders discussed the present and future of the US shipbuilding industry." It was reported that detailed issues on trade and security were not addressed.

Yonhap News

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President Lee achieved progress on economic issues centered on cooperation in the shipbuilding and manufacturing sectors during the South Korea-US summit, which took place 83 days after his inauguration. Notably, there was no discussion that would overturn the results of the mutual tariff negotiations, which focused on establishing an investment fund worth 350 billion dollars. President Lee remarked, "A renaissance is taking place not only in shipbuilding but also in manufacturing, and I hope South Korea will be able to participate in that process," making efforts to create a relaxed atmosphere. Furthermore, President Lee expressed his hope to expand the South Korea-US alliance beyond the military field to include economic and science and technology sectors, developing it into a future-oriented partnership. In response, President Trump said, "I hope we can have the opportunity to revive the US shipbuilding industry in cooperation with South Korea." When asked by a reporter about the MASGA project, he replied, "I think it will take time," but also expressed his expectation that "the US shipbuilding industry will become truly great."

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President Lee also achieved results by highlighting new agendas, such as proposing a meeting with Kim Jong Un, Chairman of North Korea's State Affairs Commission, and emphasizing President Trump's role. President Lee said, "Thanks to you, Mr. President, the situation on the Korean Peninsula was very stable, but in the period when you briefly stepped away from politics, the situation on the peninsula has deteriorated significantly." In particular, President Lee stated, "If you, Mr. President, serve as the 'peacemaker,' I will do my best to support as the 'pacemaker.'" President Trump responded, "That is a very good thing, and I will pursue it," and also conveyed his intention to meet within this year.

Meanwhile, President Lee proactively addressed the improvement of Korea-Japan relations, which President Trump had shown interest in, in preparation for the South Korea-US summit. On the 23rd, President Lee completed a South Korea-Japan summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba before traveling to the United States. President Lee is the first South Korean president to meet the Japanese prime minister before holding a summit with the US president. Utilizing this, President Lee said, "Since President Trump places great importance on South Korea-US-Japan cooperation, I thought it would be good for him to know that I met with Japan in advance and resolved issues that might have concerned him." He also mentioned that when he met Prime Minister Ishiba in Japan, he felt that many obstacles between the two countries had been removed.