"Unprecedented Diplomatic Disaster"... People Power Party Slams South Korea-US Summit

"President Lee's Humiliating Flattery Toward Trump"
"Disrespect Shown in Arrival, Accommodation, and Farewell: Diplomacy of Humiliation"

The People Power Party strongly criticized the South Korea-US summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, calling it "an unprecedented diplomatic disaster."

People Power Party's Song Eonseok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader, is heading to the podium on the 26th at the National Assembly to give a briefing related to the Korea-US summit. Photo by Yonhap News

Song Eonseok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, met with reporters at the National Assembly on the morning of the 26th and said, "The public must have witnessed President Lee making humiliatingly sycophantic remarks to President Trump. In the end, this was humiliating diplomacy, with even an additional 150 billion dollars in corporate investment offered up."

Chairman Song pointed out, "It is still unclear what we gained besides a photo with President Trump. The issues regarding the opening of agricultural markets, including rice and beef, have not been resolved enough to ease the concerns of the public and farmers. Furthermore, there has been no information released about what was decided regarding tariffs on steel, aluminum, and semiconductors."

He continued, "This was a backdrop diplomacy where there was not even a proper opportunity to respond during the public meeting, and it was a humiliating experience, with disrespect shown throughout the arrival, accommodation, and farewell processes. It even raises the question of whether this can truly be called a summit meeting."

Chairman Song also noted that President Trump, ahead of his meeting with President Lee, posted on his social network service, Truth Social, saying, "What is happening in Korea? It looks like a purge or a revolution. We cannot accept that, and we cannot do business there."

Chairman Song argued, "Right before the summit, President Trump mentioned 'purge' and 'revolution' on social media. After the meeting, there was not even a joint press conference or a send-off, so the entire summit process was an unprecedented diplomatic disaster."

Criticism continued within the People Power Party. Assemblywoman Na Kyungwon said, "It is highly unusual for such a strong message to be publicly expressed on one's own social media account," adding, "This suggests that distrust toward Korean society and politics is spreading within the United States and internationally."

Assemblyman Joo Jinwoo also stated, "President Trump's mention of a purge and revolution, and his remark that he cannot do business with Korea, is the greatest humiliation in the 72-year history of the South Korea-US alliance," adding, "The full responsibility for creating this situation lies with President Lee."

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump are holding a summit at the White House in Washington DC, USA, on the 25th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News

On the other hand, some offered a more moderate assessment, noting that the summit concluded without major incident despite President Trump's social media remarks. Assemblyman Park Jungha of the People Power Party appeared on MBC's "Kim Jongbae's Focus" that morning and said, "There was a lot of tension because President Trump posted on social media before the summit started, but I think the initial start went smoothly enough."

Assemblyman Park explained, "For a comprehensive evaluation, it needs to be revealed how practical issues-such as the South Korea-US defense cost-sharing, security matters, and economic cooperation including tariffs-were handled in the closed-door meeting, as these are our biggest concerns."

Yang Hyangja, Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party, said on BBS's "Kim Taeseop's Morning Journal," "It is positive that the alliance framework has been solidified," but emphasized, "It's not enough for the atmosphere to simply appear harmonious on the surface; there must be substantial results. We should not settle for self-congratulation."