President Lee to Attend G7 Summit... Will He Prepare for a 'Handshake Power Struggle' with Trump?

"No Need to Rush a Korea-U.S. Summit"
Professor Park: "Handshake Contest with Trump Likely, But Korea Should Prepare Carefully"

As President Lee Jae Myung has accepted an invitation to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit, Park Wongon, a professor of international relations and security at Ewha Womans University, commented, "He will be meeting U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time, and the famous handshake contest is likely to begin," adding, "Our government is probably preparing for it as well."

On CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun Jung's News Show' on the 9th, Professor Park said, "President Trump may not initiate a handshake contest with President Lee, but he has done so with leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe." He continued, "President Trump is an extremely difficult person to deal with," describing him as "a narcissist who feels the need to dominate every situation." President Trump has previously been known for his so-called 'handshake power struggles' during meetings with foreign leaders, including President Macron, where he would grip hands firmly to assert dominance.

President Lee Jae Myung is holding a receiver to make a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, on the 6th. Photo by Yonhap News

Regarding criticism of a 'Korea passing' after President Lee's first phone call with the U.S. President on his third day in office, Professor Park said, "There is no need to be overly sensitive about it," explaining, "Diplomacy during the Trump era disregards all previous diplomatic conventions."

Professor Park noted, "During that period, President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 4th and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 5th," adding, "It appears he prioritized issues he considers most important, such as the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire and the U.S.-China tariff war. Such occurrences are likely to happen repeatedly in the future."

Professor Park advised, "There is no need to rush a Korea-U.S. summit." He explained, "The Korean government has just begun its term, so it needs to review appointments and policies." He added, "Especially as the global order is shifting, China is the most important factor, so it would be better to meet President Trump after Korea's position is clarified to some extent." However, he also pointed out, "The question is whether the Trump administration will wait for the Korean government," emphasizing the need for preparation.