Trump Mentions Weapons and LNG Purchases
Also Raises Defense Cost-Sharing Issue
President Lee Jaemyung and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to strengthen economic cooperation, focusing on the shipbuilding and manufacturing sectors, during their summit. In particular, President Trump expressed high expectations for the "MASGA" project, which was proactively proposed by South Korea, stating that although it will take time, "it will make American shipbuilding truly great." The MASGA project, which stands for "Make America Shipbuilding Great Again," is a shipbuilding cooperation initiative that the South Korean government presented to the United States last month ahead of bilateral tariff negotiations.
During his opening remarks at the summit held at the White House in Washington, D.C. on the 25th (local time), President Lee stated, "It seems that America is becoming great again," adding, "A renaissance is taking place not only in shipbuilding but also in manufacturing, and I hope South Korea can be part of that process." President Lee also referenced the Dow Jones Index hitting an all-time high, saying, "I hope the South Korea-U.S. alliance can expand beyond military cooperation to include economic and scientific-technological fields, and develop into a future-oriented partnership." This was interpreted as expressing his intention to pioneer new areas of cooperation within the alliance. The summit between President Lee and President Trump, including the working luncheon, lasted for two hours and twenty minutes.
Previously, President Trump had stated that he hoped to see ships being built again in the United States in cooperation with South Korea. He remarked, "I will have many discussions (with President Lee) about shipyards and shipbuilding," and explained, "In fact, during World War II, the United States operated a highly successful shipbuilding industry, constructing one ship per day, but now American shipyards are in a rather dilapidated state." President Trump added, "Going forward, I hope that through cooperation with South Korea, ships will be built again in the United States," and, "I hope we can seize the opportunity to revitalize American shipbuilding in partnership with South Korea."
Trump Mentions Weapons and LNG Purchases... Also Raises Defense Cost-Sharing Issue
During the summit, President Trump also discussed the purchase of military equipment and liquefied natural gas (LNG). He began by saying, "The United States produces the world's best military equipment," and continued, "You may have seen the B2 bomber, which was extremely successful. This bomber completed a 36-hour round-trip flight, accomplished its mission without any issues, and returned successfully." He added, "I expect South Korea will purchase a significant amount of this outstanding American military equipment."
President Trump further stated, "I believe South Korea and the United States have a mutually beneficial relationship. Both countries appreciate each other's products," and added, "South Korea needs energy, and we have abundant resources in Alaska. I want to collaborate with South Korea." At the end of last month, South Korea agreed during the bilateral tariff negotiations to purchase energy products, including LNG, worth 100 billion dollars from the United States.
Meanwhile, as expected, President Trump also raised the issue of defense cost-sharing. Referring to the sites of U.S. military bases in South Korea, he said, "One of the things I want to look into is whether South Korea can transfer land ownership to us while we operate these large fortresses." He continued, "As you know, we spent a huge amount of money building these fortresses. South Korea contributed as well, but I want us to have ownership, not just lease, while we operate these massive military bases." This comment was made in response to questions from reporters regarding the possibility of reducing the U.S. military presence in South Korea.
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When asked about the reduction of U.S. forces in South Korea, he avoided a direct answer, saying, "We have always been friends and remain friends." President Trump also noted, "We have over 40,000 troops stationed in South Korea. During my administration, South Korea agreed to share the costs, but when Biden (former President Joe Biden) took office, there were complaints. Biden, who is not a good person, gave up billions of dollars."
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