[The Editors' Verdict] Trump's "Tariff Show": Where Is National Prestige?

Describing a "deal to lower tariffs for money"
The United States is undermining global trust

The dictionary definition of "national prestige" refers to the dignity of a nation. In other words, it signifies a country's stature or reputation, and in a broader sense, it symbolizes the sum total of the individual character of each citizen, collectively forming the overall quality of the nation. This is also a key factor in determining a country's identity and its standing in the international community.

Following negotiations with Japan and the European Union, the highly anticipated tariff negotiations with South Korea were finally concluded just one day before the originally scheduled implementation date of August 1. The term "national prestige" suddenly came to mind while watching what is now being called the "Trump Tariff Show." It felt as if I were a viewer watching a home shopping channel on TV. President Donald Trump of the United States bases his approach on price bargaining, believing that he gains the upper hand when the other party appears desperate.

In fact, during these negotiations, high-level meetings between our government and the United States in diplomacy, economy, and trade were abruptly canceled due to "schedule changes," leaving our officials waiting for four days without even a face-to-face meeting. In some cases, they were even sent back from the airport. Then, just two days before the deadline, President Trump posted a message on his social network service, Truth Social, stating, "South Korea has come with a tariff reduction proposal" and "I am interested in hearing what that proposal is." This brief statement served as a warning, as if to threaten that unless a "proper" proposal was made, a tariff bomb would be imposed.

Let's recall the earlier tariff negotiations with Japan. President Trump said of the outcome, "Japan gave us 550 billion dollars (about 757 trillion won) upfront, and I consider this a signing bonus."

A signing bonus is a one-time incentive or contract payment given to a new employee when they join an organization or company. However, likening this to an economic negotiation between countries is nothing more than trivializing international politics.

In particular, during a press conference, President Trump made the shocking remark, "If other countries invest in the United States on a large scale like Japan, we can buy down the tariffs." It was as if a nation's foreign policy was being treated like a private deal or a personal transaction.

Alliances are built on a foundation of mutual trust and cooperation. However, President Trump portrayed this trade negotiation as a "deal to lower tariffs in exchange for money." He viewed allied nations not as friends, but as bargaining counterparts. This is why diplomatic trust is inevitably undermined.

President Trump even went so far as to underline and cross out numbers in the original proposal with a pen and rewrite them himself. He then openly posted photos of this on social media. This is a clear act of disregarding the position of the other country.

The United States has long occupied a role not just as a superpower, but as a designer and guardian of the global order. Hollywood superhero movies are underpinned by the concept of "Pax Americana"-a world order led by the United States. The global popularity of such films may have been possible because of the tacit agreement that the United States played a leading role in maintaining international order after the Cold War as the world's police force.

Douglas Irwin, a trade historian and professor at Dartmouth College, pointed out, "Trump's trade policy stems from the hope of reviving even a few jobs in specific sectors, without considering the impact on domestic consumers or other countries," adding, "Ultimately, it is a very short-sighted view that alienates allies and leads to the loss of potential partners."

The international community does not operate on "power" alone. Sustainable order is only established when trust, principles, and negotiation are in harmony. While President Trump's tariff bombs may bring immediate gains, they are undermining the global trust that the United States has built over time. Today's choices become tomorrow's history. This incident may one day be recorded as a case of the United States abandoning its national prestige.