US President Donald Trump is about to host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung of their first summit at this time.
Despite being one of many United States’ key strategic and financial companions in Asia, the decades-old alliance is being put to the check as Trump reshapes US diplomacy.
Here’s what may very well be on the agenda for at this time’s assembly:
US troops in South Korea: Trump is predicted to strain Lee to commit to spending extra on protection.
Ever since he was on the marketing campaign path, Trump has talked concerning the greenback quantity that South Korea pays for the presence of US troops in South Korea, of which there are about 28,500 personnel.
In October, the US and South Korea reached a five-year cost-sharing settlement for American forces primarily based in South Korea forward of Trump’s election victory in November.
Trump mentioned South Korea pays simply over $1 billion however ought to be paying up to $10 billion for that safety assure. That was not addressed through the commerce settlement reached by each nations a few weeks in the past. So we’re acutely attentive to whether or not or not that’s going to come up at this time.
The US can be anticipated to demand that it embrace flexibility for US troops primarily based in South Korea, which Lee mentioned “cannot be easily agreed on,” on his manner to Washington. But Lee left room for additional discussions on the problem, saying “future strategization” of the function of the US troops in Korea was wanted.
North Korea: Lee and Trump are doubtless to discover widespread floor in making an attempt to deliver North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again to the negotiating desk to speak about its ever-expanding nuclear program, Valerio mentioned.
Their assembly comes simply days after North Korea claimed to have test-launched two new air protection missiles. South Korea’s summit with neighboring Japan on Saturday additionally stoked criticism from Pyongyang. North Korea dismissed the assembly, during which denuclearizing the Korean peninsula was mentioned, as an try to curry favor with the US.
Shipbuilding: South Korea is among the many high international locations main the worldwide shipbuilding business.
The two international locations introduced cooperation in shipbuilding in commerce negotiations final month. Lee and Trump are anticipated to talk about the main points.