Compliments that Make Trump Dance... The Unexpectedly Smooth U.S.-South Korea Summit [Lee Sang-eun's Washington Now]

Today was a tense day for Korean journalists in Washington as well. The summit held at the White House had a friendlier atmosphere than expected. Although the schedule started about 30-40 minutes later than planned and there were some tense moments due to President Trump's posts on Truth Social, the mood was ultimately not bad.

A wide variety of topics were discussed in a comprehensive manner today, with particular emphasis on economic issues such as tariffs. President Trump first devoted quite a bit of time to the shipbuilding industry. He said that Korea wants to renegotiate the trade agreement, but this does not mean Korea necessarily gains something by it. The term 'renegotiation' is somewhat ambiguous here. It is interpreted to mean there are differences in opinion between the two countries regarding the $350 billion investment.

In addition, the North Korea issue was raised. Overall, President Trump clearly conveyed his message that he wants to engage in dialogue with North Korea and improve relations during his term.

About Kim Jong-un, President Trump mentioned that during his first term he gave him the nickname "Rocket Man." President Trump said there might be a chance to talk with Rocket Man. He also boasted that North Korea could participate in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics during his time, which he claimed contributed to the event's success. He recalled in detail the moment he crossed the military demarcation line at Panmunjom.

President Lee responded positively and gave Trump many compliments, which noticeably softened the mood each time. President Lee said thanks to Trump, the situation on the Korean Peninsula was stable, but during Trump's absence, North Korea has developed many missiles and increased its nuclear arsenal, and asked for peace on the peninsula.

President Lee then said he would act as a pacemaker to support Trump, the peacemaker, bringing laughter to the room. He also suggested, "Why don't you meet with Chairman Kim Jong-un? And if you could build a Trump World in North Korea so I could play golf there", to which Trump responded positively. Trump also remarked that "he thinks that's a really good idea" and implied that he and President Lee could make progress together.

There were concerns before the talks that the China issue might be dominant or that Trump would test if Lee is pro-China. But in reality, that was not the case. When asked about attending the APEC summit to be held in Gyeongju this October, Trump answered, "I think I can go."

This did not mean President Trump was just there to listen to Korea's perspective. He made many requests concerning industrial cooperation, including shipbuilding. When the stationing of U.S. Forces Korea came up, he starkly expressed that he wants ownership of the base sites. When asked about the reduction of U.S. Forces Korea, he avoided answering, saying, "I don't want to talk about that right now," but suddenly added, "I want to see if we can eliminate the lease and secure ownership of the land." This is not specified in current agreements between the two countries.

There was a brief moment of tension when the issue of searching Osan Air Base came up. President Lee calmly explained that the investigation was into a Korean air base, not a U.S. military facility. President Trump said, "I'm sure there was a misunderstanding," and the situation ended smoothly.

Today's meeting drew much attention from foreign media. Mentions of shipbuilding cooperation and the North Korea issue received particular coverage abroad.

Media outlets such as Semafor cited the summit as one of the day's must-watch events in its main newsletter, directly quoting Korea's slogan, 'Make U.S. Shipbuilding Great Again.' According to the White House press pool, Korea focused on tariffs, economic trade stability, bolstering the alliance, and strengthening cooperation in shipbuilding, while the U.S. prioritized burden-sharing, manufacturing revitalization, and fairness in trade.

Most observers summarized that the overall atmosphere was smooth. Associated Press reported President Trump initially warned Korea, but the mood shifted to one of warm hospitality as President Lee continued to compliment him. In reality, the tense mood seen on social media right after Lee stepped out of the car didn't match the summit's actual tone. President Trump had an attitude of wanting to have a good meeting with President Lee.

While The New York Times reported rather critically that Trump praised North Korea’s dictator, other media outlets devoted much attention to shipbuilding cooperation. NBC noted that both countries' efforts to revive the shipbuilding industry are vital for national security, calling the project a strategic victory for Korea.

Washington = Lee Sang-eun, Correspondent selee@hankyung.com