South Korea's charm offensive and other takeaways from Trump meeting
Hours before South Korean president Lee Jae Myung was due to meet US president Donald Trump, a Truth Social post dropped.
«WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA?» Trump wrote, pointing to a «Purge or Revolution». It appears this was a reference to Mr Lee’s attempts to move South Korea on from its martial law crisis last December, when its now ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to orchestrate a military takeover.
But Lee turned on the charm and averted a repeat of what happened in the Oval Office to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky or South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.
The leaders found common ground on North Korea, with Trump repeatedly mentioning Kim Jong Un, and they managed to avoid public disagreements over thorny trade and defence issues. Here are three main takeaways.
Lee, seen as a left-wing politician, has a reputation in Washington that plays to the worst of Trump’s fears. In the past, he has been sceptical of South Korea’s military alliance with the US, and now says wants to develop stronger ties with China. He has also been painted by some US conservative commentators as being «anti-American».
Lee’s team had been worried he might be subjected to one of Trump’s now famous Oval Office dressing downs.
The truth social post in the hours before the meeting gave them a scare. Trump’s ominous-sounding message appeared to be referring to the aftermath of South Korea’s martial law crisis last December, and the efforts Mr Lee’s government and prosecutors are making to investigate the ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, his wife, and former members of his government.
It is something the far-right in South Korea, and even some in the US, have railed against.
This was the nightmare scenario for South Korean officials — that Mr Lee might be forced to defend himself against right wing conspiracy theories. But when the meeting arrived, Mr Trump raised the issue, only to quickly brush it off as a probable misunderstanding.
Lee’s strategy of flattery clearly worked. He first marveled at the Oval Office’s «bright and beautiful» new look, then heaped praises the personal rapport that the US president has built with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, asking him to help make peace between the North and South.
«The only person who can make progress is you Mr President», Mr Lee said. «If you become the peacemaker, then I will assist you by being a pacemaker.»
«WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA?» Trump wrote, pointing to a «Purge or Revolution». It appears this was a reference to Mr Lee’s attempts to move South Korea on from its martial law crisis last December, when its now ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to orchestrate a military takeover.
But Lee turned on the charm and averted a repeat of what happened in the Oval Office to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky or South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.
The leaders found common ground on North Korea, with Trump repeatedly mentioning Kim Jong Un, and they managed to avoid public disagreements over thorny trade and defence issues. Here are three main takeaways.
Lee’s strategy of flattery worked
Lee’s team had been nervous about this meeting, and they had good reason to be: Trump is historically wary of South Korea, despite it being a US ally. In the past, he has accused it of freeloading from the tens of thousands of US troops that are stationed on the peninsula helping to defend against North Korea. He has also criticised Seoul’s defence spending and its trade surplus with the US.Lee, seen as a left-wing politician, has a reputation in Washington that plays to the worst of Trump’s fears. In the past, he has been sceptical of South Korea’s military alliance with the US, and now says wants to develop stronger ties with China. He has also been painted by some US conservative commentators as being «anti-American».
Lee’s team had been worried he might be subjected to one of Trump’s now famous Oval Office dressing downs.
The truth social post in the hours before the meeting gave them a scare. Trump’s ominous-sounding message appeared to be referring to the aftermath of South Korea’s martial law crisis last December, and the efforts Mr Lee’s government and prosecutors are making to investigate the ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, his wife, and former members of his government.
It is something the far-right in South Korea, and even some in the US, have railed against.
This was the nightmare scenario for South Korean officials — that Mr Lee might be forced to defend himself against right wing conspiracy theories. But when the meeting arrived, Mr Trump raised the issue, only to quickly brush it off as a probable misunderstanding.
Lee’s strategy of flattery clearly worked. He first marveled at the Oval Office’s «bright and beautiful» new look, then heaped praises the personal rapport that the US president has built with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, asking him to help make peace between the North and South.
«The only person who can make progress is you Mr President», Mr Lee said. «If you become the peacemaker, then I will assist you by being a pacemaker.»
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