On the third day in office, a 20-minute phone call
Overall, a "friendly atmosphere"... Discussion of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and tariff negotiations
Consensus on "efforts for a mutually satisfactory agreement"
Plans to meet soon... Consecutive G7 and NATO summits scheduled
On the evening of June 6, at 10 p.m. (Korea Standard Time), President Lee Jaemyung held a 20-minute phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, marking his third day in office. President Trump conveyed his congratulations to President Lee on his election victory, to which President Lee expressed his gratitude and emphasized the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. This was President Lee’s first phone conversation with a foreign leader since taking office, effectively restarting summit diplomacy that had been at a standstill since the 12·3 Martial Law.
According to the presidential office, the first conversation was generally described as having a “friendly atmosphere.” The two leaders shared their experiences of being attacked during their respective presidential campaigns and even discussed the possibility of playing a round of golf together. President Trump, then the Republican presidential candidate, was shot during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July of last year, while President Lee was attacked with a knife to the neck during a visit to the Busan Gadeokdo New Airport site in January of last year.
The presidential office stated, “The call lasted for 20 minutes, and both presidents highly praised each other’s leadership and agreed to work closely together for the advancement of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.” The office also added, “With regard to the South Korea-U.S. tariff consultations, both countries agreed to make efforts to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement as soon as possible.”
This summit call has drawn attention to whether the two leaders will be able to actively address a series of pending issues, including President Trump’s “tariff bomb” policy, which prioritizes America First, and negotiations over defense cost sharing. President Trump has announced plans to impose high tariffs on automobiles and steel products, with the implementation date set for July 8, leaving just over a month. The South Korean government has set a goal of reducing or eliminating the current 25% tariff rate, but there has been no progress so far. Another unresolved issue is the U.S. request for participation in the Alaska LNG pipeline project, which was raised during the previous administration.
To address these issues, the two leaders agreed to meet as soon as possible, either at multilateral meetings or through bilateral visits. The presidential office explained, “President Trump invited President Lee to the United States, and President Lee responded by expressing his hope that South Korea and the U.S., as special allies, will meet frequently for consultations.” However, since President Trump is pursuing an America First policy and President Lee also plans to pursue a “pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests,” the process of reaching an agreement is expected to be challenging.
The meeting between the two leaders mentioned during the call could take place as early as June 15-17 at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada, or June 24-25 at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in The Hague, Netherlands. While South Korea experienced a diplomatic vacuum in summit diplomacy due to the 12·3 Martial Law, Japan continued bilateral consultations led by Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru. Prime Minister Ishiba is seeking to meet President Trump separately ahead of the G7 summit and also plans to meet him at the NATO summit.
Meanwhile, the duration of President Lee’s call was shorter than that of former President Moon Jaein, but longer than that of former President Park Geunhye. The timing of the call was somewhat later compared to previous administrations. Former President Moon Jaein, who also began his term following an early presidential election, spoke with President Trump for 30 minutes on his inauguration day. Former President Yoon Sukyeol spoke with President Joe Biden for 20 minutes on the day of his election, while former President Park Geunhye spoke with President Barack Obama for 11 minutes the day after her election.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
