President Lee Jae-myung held a 30-minute phone call with US President Donald Trump on the night of the 17th, exchanging views on the outcome of the US-China summit, international affairs, and Korea-US relations. It was the second Korea-US summit-level call since President Lee took office in June last year. The conversation carries significance in that it came just two days after Trump's visit to China, allowing Lee to be briefed on the results of the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to the presidential office, the two leaders agreed to work toward faithful implementation of the trade and security agreements contained in the "Joint Fact Sheet" signed at last year's Korea-US summit. They also expressed expectations for a reunion at the Group of Seven (G7) summit to be held in mid-next month.
However, it is still too early to expect tangible results. Above all, President Trump views even alliances as objects of transaction. Immediately after the US-China summit, he described US arms sales to Taiwan as a "good bargaining chip." The remark, suggesting that the security of Taiwan, a friendly nation, could be used as a negotiating card with China, sent shockwaves through Korea, Japan, and Europe. The White House said the US-China summit reaffirmed that "the denuclearization of North Korea is a common goal," but this could be overturned at any time during negotiations with North Korea.
A pile of issues currently requires consultation between Korea and the United States, including the introduction of a nuclear-powered submarine, adjustments to the role of US Forces Korea and alliance modernization, and non-tariff barriers. Despite this, Korea-US relations are in a precarious state due to Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's "components of nuclear facilities" remarks, US restrictions on intelligence sharing on North Korea, and the Coupang issue. The recent Korea-US defense ministers' meeting raised concerns that it may have only revealed differences over issues such as the transfer of wartime operational control. It is also difficult to rule out the possibility that President Trump will present Korea with a security and economic bill as soon as the war in Iran ends.
The government must mobilize all its diplomatic capabilities to ensure that the communication between the Korea-US leaders becomes a clue to resolving security and trade issues. Through follow-up consultations, it must restore trust between the allies and ensure there is no security vacuum. For the first major project with the United States that will soon take shape, a sophisticated strategy is required so that it serves as a catalyst for resolving trade conflicts. Strengthening cooperation with Japan, which is in a situation similar to ours in many respects, is also necessary. We hope that the leaders of both countries will produce substantive security and economic cooperation outcomes at the Korea-Japan summit to be held on the 19th.
