Seoul, South Korea
—
South Korea’s president Lee Jae Myung hailed his nation’s relationship with the United States in a NCS interview on Wednesday, pushing apart lingering trade considerations and welcoming US President Donald Trump, who’s about to go to Asia, as a “peacemaker.”
Lee acknowledged tensions within the Korean Peninsula had “gotten worse” in recent times, talking a number of hours after North Korea test fired ballistic missiles in its first such navy present of drive since he took workplace in June.
But he performed down the danger, reiterating the necessity to pursue peace and dialogue – and raised the potential for Trump bridging the hole between the 2 Koreas.
“I hope that (Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un) will be able to engage in dialogue,” he stated. “I also believe that President Trump wants to achieve world peace, and that is why I have made the recommendation for him to take on the role of a peacemaker.”
While the possibilities that Trump will meet Kim throughout his multi-stop go to to Asia later this month stay low, Lee stated it will be “a good thing” if the “leaders of the United States and North Korea could suddenly get together.”
Trump met Kim several times during his first term, holding landmark summits that in the end failed to supply a significant breakthrough. But earlier this summer time in a White House assembly with Lee, the US president stated he was willing to meet Kim again.
Trump can be anticipated to fulfill Chinese chief Xi Jinping subsequent week when South Korea hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, attended by leaders and delegations from throughout the area.
Trump stated as not too long ago as Friday that he intends to fulfill Xi on the sidelines of the important thing summit, although it’s not clear the place or when this may occur. Tensions stay excessive between the two rival powers, after one other trade spat and slew of tariff threats.
South Korea has all the time walked a fantastic line in navigating its relationships with the US and China. Seoul and Washington have been staunch allies for greater than seven many years – drawing nearer in recent times in a joint effort to fight rising Chinese affect within the Asia-Pacific area. South Korea can be dwelling to the US navy’s largest abroad base, which homes 41,000 folks together with troops and their households.
But South Korea and China have additionally maintained a robust buying and selling relationship.
“We have different ideologies and also a different system of government … (but) we cannot shut out China,” Lee stated, including that the “vital” US alliance made managing the China relationship “a bit delicate.”
“When it comes to relationships between countries, you cannot cut it clean with a knife and say: ‘This country is our friend, and this country is not.’ It’s just not that simple – it’s much more complicated and complex,” stated Lee.
China’s ambitions and rising capabilities in high-tech industries current a problem to South Korea, lengthy seen as a world chief in such vital sectors.
While admitting that Chinese corporations have been catching up with (and in some circumstances overtaking) South Korean ones, Lee stated there remained “many areas where Korean firms can win,” such as semiconductors and vehicles.
South Korea is dedicated to sharing this experience with the US too, Lee stated, emphasizing their bilateral relationship included financial, technological, and navy cooperation.
“In the past we have received a lot of assistance from the United States, and so we are willing to provide assistance for the US’ efforts to revamp its manufacturing industry to the extent possible,” he stated.
His tone was notably heat, regardless of the US-South Korea relationship being strained in latest months by Trump’s immigration crackdown. Nearly 500 people, largely Korean nationals, have been arrested and detained throughout an ICE raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia final month, sparking outrage again dwelling. The automobile maker is one in all South Korea’s largest corporations.
After the detainees have been flown again to South Korea, Trump posted on-line that he didn’t need to “frighten off or disincentivize investment into America by outside countries or companies.”
South Korea has additionally needed to cope with Trump’s tariff calls for, which got here as the nation was coping with the fallout from Lee’s predecessor briefly declaring martial law, then biking by way of a revolving door of interim leaders as the economic system spluttered.
In late July, barely a month into his tenure, Lee negotiated a trade deal with the Trump administration to avert excessive tariffs on Korean exports, together with a $350 billion funding circulate from South Korea to the US. But detailed negotiations have dragged out, leaving the nation’s key auto making trade at an obstacle – topic to 25% US tariffs whereas its rivals in Japan and Europe have already secured a lot decrease charges.
Lee acknowledged there are “differences in opinion” between South Korea and the US within the ongoing talks, however stated he believed “that eventually we will get there because the United States is the leading country when it comes to the values of democracy and the free market system.”
Some critics have slammed Trump’s tariff calls for as extortionate – particularly for longtime allies and associates like South Korea. When requested what he considered this, Lee merely laughed.
“I believe that we will, in the end, be able to reach a rational result that can be acceptable,” he stated, smiling.