Latest news with #Seoul-Washington
Korea Herald
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
S. Korean, US diplomats agree on efforts for bilateral alliance, trilateral cooperation with Japan
Senior diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed Friday to work together to strengthen their countries' alliance and trilateral cooperation with Japan during their talks in Washington, according to the South Korean Embassy in the US capital. South Korean Ambassador to the US Cho Hyun-dong met with new Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker at the State Department to discuss the bilateral alliance and a range of regional and global issues, the embassy said. Confirmed by the Senate earlier this month, Hooker is noted for her longtime experience in diplomacy with North Korea, including preparations for US President Donald Trump's summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first term. "Sharing the understanding on the importance of close cooperation between South Korea and the US over North Korean issues, and of comprehensive bilateral cooperation, the two sides agreed to continue efforts to strengthen the Seoul-Washington alliance and enhance trilateral cooperation with Japan," the embassy wrote on Facebook. Cho described Hooker as a longtime expert on issues related to the Korean Peninsula and the alliance. "(Cho) asked Under Secretary Hooker -- a longtime friend of South Korea and strong backer of the South Korea-US alliance -- to continue to support efforts for the development of bilateral relations," it said The two sides agreed to closely cooperate to respond effectively to an array of global challenges, as they discussed the Israel-Iran conflict and Ukrainian issues, as well as challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Hooker previously served as senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council. She was deeply involved in preparations for Trump's summits with Kim in Singapore in June 2018, Hanoi in February 2019 and the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019. From 2001-2014, Hooker served as a senior analyst for North Korea in the Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research. She was also selected as the 2013-2014 Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs fellow in South Korea. (Yonhap)
Japan Forward
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
G7 Summit: Is South Korea Being Passed Over?
As the two-day G7 Summit wraps up in Canada, South Korea is facing renewed fears of diplomatic marginalization. On June 16, Seoul officials were caught off guard when they learned, via a breaking news report, that President Donald Trump would be leaving the summit a day early. The announcement came despite a planned meeting between Trump and South Korea's newly elected president, Lee Jae-myung, on the sidelines of the international forum. That South Korean side was not informed in advance through official channels has raised eyebrows. It is irregular for a foreign leader to abruptly cancel a meeting without prior consultation, and even more so for the other party to learn of it through the media. Seoul had anticipated holding the bilateral talks on June 17. While Trump's early departure, reportedly due to escalating Israel-Iran tensions, may appear understandable, it's reigniting a deeper anxiety in South Korea: the specter of Korea Passing. The term describes a tendency of major powers to discuss geopolitical matters surrounding the Korean Peninsula while excluding the South from the discourse. Strain in Seoul-Washington relations appeared almost immediately after Lee was inaugurated on June 4. His first phone call with Trump was delayed by three days and passed without any formal statement from the White House. By contrast, Lee's predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol, received a congratulatory call from Washington on the day of his election victory. Lee Jae-myung is sworn in as South Korea's president and delivers his inaugural speech on June 4. (©Lee Jae-myung/Facebook) As the Trump administration remains preoccupied with escalating global crises, the lack of coordination with its treaty ally signals more than a mere oversight. For some in South Korea, it reflects a growing misalignment between the two capitals. That misalignment may partly stem from unease in Washington over Lee's approach to China. Within days of his electoral win, American policy analysts cautioned that the new South Korean leader could veer away from the traditional alliance. At a Washington Times Foundation forum in June, Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific security chair at the Hudson Institute, said: "If you're going to be closely allied with the United States on security, you're going to be alienating North Korea, China, and Russia." "How Lee Jae-myung's government manages that relationship," he continued, "is going to be crucial for the future of US interests, the future of the Korean Peninsula, and the future of the Korean people." Lee, then head of the Democratic Party, meets with Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming in June 2023. The meeting drew criticism over what some viewed as Lee's excessive deference to Beijing. (©National Assembly Press Team) Such concerns are not without basis. During a campaign rally in March 2024, Lee appeared to downplay frictions in the Taiwan Strait, remarking, "Why are you picking on China? Just say xie xie [to China] and xie xie to Taiwan, too." The phrase xie xie, meaning "thank you" in Chinese, was widely interpreted as a rhetorical gesture suggesting that South Korea should remain neutral in the cross-Strait conflict. Lee framed the issue as having no relevance to his country's national interests, saying that Seoul should avoid entanglement altogether. Although Lee has been a vocal critic of former President Yoon's perceived deference to Tokyo, he now faces similar criticism for his apparent pro-Beijing proclivities. The collapse of the Lee-Trump talks marked a diplomatic setback for Lee's administration. This is especially true given that his invitation to the G7 came just days after taking office, with many on his team hoping for a successful diplomatic debut. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with Trump on Monday in Canada to discuss a range of pressing issues, including tariffs. The new South Korean president did regain some footing on Tuesday during a 30-minute meeting with Ishiba, where the two agreed to maintain active dialogue and pursue robust bilateral ties. For Lee, who lacks prior foreign policy experience, the challenges are piling up. Beyond establishing personal rapport with foreign leaders, he must soon tackle thornier matters such as the future of American forces on the Peninsula and managing relations with a nuclear-armed North Korea. Whether Lee can recalibrate his strategic posture to reassure Washington while preserving South Korea's autonomy remains an open question. But for now, speculation over Korea Passing lingers. Author: Kenji Yoshida
Korea Herald
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
US confident alliance with S. Korea will 'thrive' under Lee's leadership: State Dept.
The United States is confident that the Seoul-Washington alliance will continue to "thrive" under new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's leadership, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday. Tammy Bruce, the spokesperson, made the remarks during a regular press briefing, responding to a question by Yonhap News Agency regarding the Lee administration's pursuit of a "pragmatic" foreign policy that regards the bilateral alliance as its "foundation." "We congratulate the president on his election as the president of the Republic of Korea, and we're confident under his leadership, our alliance will continue to thrive," Bruce said, referring to South Korea by its official name. She also confirmed the phone call that Lee and US President Donald Trump had on Friday. During the 20-minute call, Lee and Trump agreed to work together to swiftly reach a mutually satisfactory trade agreement, according to Lee's office. The two leaders are expected to have their first in-person encounter on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit, set to be held in Alberta, Canada, from June 15-17. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Lee Jae-myung stresses peace on Korean Peninsula; Kim Moon-soo calls for stronger NK nuclear deterrence
The liberal Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung pledged to start a dialogue and map out cooperation between the two Koreas and achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula, reiterating his bid to deescalate border tensions if elected president. During a four-way televised debate aired on Tuesday, Lee said peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula are "very important," adding that dialogue, cooperation and peace are necessary on the Korean Peninsula, on the foundation of galvanized military strength, as well as the alliance between Seoul and Washington. Lee also blamed the former conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration's hardline stance against North Korea for heightening border tensions between the two Koreas, saying the Yoon administration failed to take action to stop anti-North propaganda leaflet campaigns from the South. Lee added that he would "resolve (border tensions) one by one." Meanwhile, Lee's conservative rival, the People Power Party's candidate Kim Moon-soo, said he would work to strengthen South Korea's nuclear deterrence on the foundation of the Seoul-Washington alliance to counter North Korea's nuclear threats and missile provocations. "We will create a South Korea that will not be shaken by any threat by achieving a balance of power," said Kim. During the debate, Kim said there is a realistic plan to devise a unique nuclear sharing model with the United States, which his rival Lee said "will make it impossible to achieve denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula." Kim also said he would foster transparent inter-Korean relations and deal with North Korea confidently, while blasting his liberal rival for alleged involvement in an aide's unauthorized money transfer to North Korea while Lee was serving as governor of Gyeonggi Province. Lee of the Democratic Party was 9 percentage points ahead in the race against Kim, according to a poll by Next Research on Tuesday. Healing political divide Tuesday's debate was the last of the three legally required to be hosted by the election authorities, with just one week remaining until the election to replace ousted former President Yoon. Alongside foreign policy, the televised debate also focused on political polarization and ways to heal the political divide. Debating how they would overcome Korea's deepening political polarization, the three leading candidates each pointed to different root causes — offering divergent views on what fractured the country's democracy and how to repair it. The Democratic Party's Lee pointed to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's controversial martial law declaration on Dec. 3 as the origin of the political breakdown, describing it as an attempt to erase the opposition. 'The essence of that martial law attempt was to annihilate the opposition and permanently monopolize power,' he said. Lee argued that the lingering presence of those who supported the emergency decree continues to polarize the country. During Tuesday's debate, Lee again proposed a broad constitutional amendment to limit presidential authority and reinforce checks and balances, including a two-term presidency and run-off elections. However, the People Power Party's Kim accused Lee of failing to acknowledge criminal wrongdoing, which he said threatens democracy, as well as allegations that his Democratic Party abused its legislative power to protect its leader. 'How can someone facing five serious charges run for president?' Kim said. 'He should stand trial and accept the outcome.' In response, Lee dismissed criticism of his legal troubles as political retaliation, claiming, 'These indictments are fabricated by a prosecutorial regime.' Yoon served as prosecutor general of South Korea before he won the presidential election in 2022. Kim also rejected Lee's characterization of the Dec. 3 event as an insurrection, citing an ongoing criminal trial against the suspects involved in the failed martial law attempt. Meanwhile, New Reform Party candidate Rep. Lee Jun-seok pointed to what he called 'false narratives and fan-driven politics' as the primary sources of polarization, directly naming both Lee Jae-myung and Kim as figures associated with such narratives. He accused them of distorting facts and undermining public trust in the democratic process. Positioning himself as a political outsider, Lee said Korea's political norms had collapsed as major parties abandoned long-standing rules of bipartisan consensus. He pledged to restore procedural fairness in lawmaking and constitutional reform. Citing French President Emmanuel Macron, he added, 'We may only have three seats, but we can trigger structural change.'
Korea Herald
16-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
S. Korean, US trade chiefs to hold talks over tariff-related package deal
South Korea's trade chief Ahn Duk-geun was set to hold talks with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Friday on the sidelines of a trade ministers' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies, officials said. The meeting to be held on South Korea's southern island of Jeju comes about three weeks after their last gathering in Washington for high-level trade consultations, where the two sides agreed to pursue a "package" deal on US tariffs and economic cooperation issues by July 8. Greer is participating in the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting on Jeju, slated to wrap up its two-day run later in the day. In the upcoming meeting, Ahn is expected to discuss follow-up measures to the Washington agreement, hoping to develop a more detailed framework for further trade negotiations with US President Donald Trump's administration. Last month, Seoul and Washington agreed to focus their talks on four categories -- tariff and non-tariff measures, economic security, investment cooperation and currency policies. South Korea has been seeking to get a reduction or exemption from US tariffs, including 25 percent reciprocal duties, which have been suspended for 90 days. On Thursday, Greer also sat down with South Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo to discuss pending trade issues between the two sides and the progress of Washington's trade negotiations with other countries, according to Cheong's office. Earlier in the day, Greer met with executives of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in Jeju to discuss bilateral cooperation in shipbuilding. Shipbuilding cooperation is one of the key agenda items of the Seoul-Washington trade negotiations amid the Trump administration's push to rebuild America's shipbuilding sector. South Korea is a global leader in the shipbuilding industry. Last month, US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan visited South Korea to tour HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan headquarters and Hanwha Ocean's Geoje shipyard. In an exclusive written interview with Yonhap News Agency following his trip, Phelan said the US Navy welcomes further collaboration with South Korean shipyards as part of a broader effort to revitalize America's maritime industrial base. (Yonhap)
