Trump wants to meet North Korea’s Kim after South Korean Lee – Washington’s intentions

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he wishes to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un This year and that it is open to further trade talks with South Korea, despite the fact that it has launched new criticisms against the Asian ally, whose president visits the country.

“I would like to meet him this year”Trump told reporters at the Oval Office as he welcomed the new South Korean president, Lee Jae Miungin the White House. “I look forward to meeting Kim Jong Un at the right time in the future”.

Trump and Lee held their first meeting under strained circumstances. Trump made vague complaints about a “clearing or revolution” in South Korea on social media before later rejecting them as possible “misunderstanding” among the allies.

In spite of Achieving a trade agreement in July That escaped South Korean exports from stricter US duties, the two sides continue to disagree with the nuclear power, military spending and details of an agreement that included $ 350 billion in promises of South Korean investment in the United States.

Following a meeting with Trump, Lee attended a business forum with senior US government officials and CEO of South Korean companies and more than 20 US companies, including Carlyle Group, Nvidia, Boeing, Ge Aerospace, Honeywell and General Motors.

Sources stated to Reuters That South Korean National Airman Korean Air 003490.KS is expected to announce an order for about 100 Boeing aircraft.

Kim ignores Trump calls

North Korean state media reported that common US-South Korean military exercises have demonstrated Washington’s intention to “understand” the Korean peninsula and target countries in the region.

From Trump’s swearing -in in January, Kim ignore Trump’s repeated appeals revive the immediate diplomacy it applied during the 2017-2021 term, which did not lead to an agreement on the termination of the North Korean nuclear program.

North Korea’s rhetoric has intensified, with Kim committing to accelerate its nuclear program and condemning US-South Korean military exercises. On the weekend, Kim supervised the test of new air defense systems.

In the Oval Office, Lee avoided theatrical controversy that dominated Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski in February and the visit of South African President Siril Ramafassa in May.

Lee, applying a strategy used by foreign visitors to Trump, talked about golf and praised the interior decoration and peacekeeping effort of the Republican president. Earlier, he had told reporters that he had read the 1987 president’s memoirs, entitled “Trump: The Art of Agreement”to prepare.

Lee’s office said he and Trump discussed the shipbuilding industry and that Trump stressed his support for Lee. He also said they were also discussing attempts to assassinate them. The office said that the climate for the meeting was such that a written joint statement was unnecessary.

At the Oval Office, the Liberal South Korean encouraged Trump to work with North Korea.

“I hope you can bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, the only divided nation in the world, to be able to meet with Kim Jong Un, build a Trump World (ed. real estate complex) In North Korea, so I can play golf there, and so you can really play a role as a cosmic peacemaker »Li said, speaking to Korean.

The South Korean economy is largely dependent on the US, with Washington guarantees its security with troops and nuclear deterrence. Trump has called Seoul ‘Machine Machine’ exploiting US military protection.

Hard issues

The agenda of the Trump-Li meeting included difficult issues, such as reaching an agreement on the defensive cooperation of the two countries, which Seoul initially attempted to integrate the tariff agreement.

Donald Trump suggested South Korea to give the ground to the US military bases in the country, seeking to push this US ally to pay more in return for the presence of more than 28,000 troops in his territory.

“You know, we spent a lot of money to build a base and there was a contribution made by South Korea, but I would like to see if we can get rid of the lease and get the ownership of the territory where we have a large military base.”said the US president in the White House Oval Office, addressing his South Korean counterpart sitting next to him.

Trump also said that during the meeting he would provide “information” he had received on South Korea’s investigations which, he said, were targeted by churches and a military base.

This month, Seoul police raided the Church of Sarang Jeil, led by the Evangelical preacher Jun Kwang-Hoon, who led the supports of Lee’s expelled predecessor, Yun Suk-Gene.

In July, prosecutors investigating Yun’s attempt to declare military law delivered an investigation order to the Korean section of a military base that operates together with the United States. South Korean officials said US troops and material were not undergoing investigation.

The far -right movement of South Korea, in particular the Evangelical Christians and supporters of Yun, consider him a victim of communist persecution.

Lee wants to scratch a balanced course of cooperation with the USwhile avoiding in contrast to China, the Top Commercial Partner of Seoul. Even as he headed to Washington, he sent a special delegation to Beijing, which conveyed a message calling for normalization of relationships.

After meeting with Lee, Trump told reporters: “I think we’ve made an agreement For trade ». “They had some problems with that, but we insisted on our positions … they will make the deal”he said. He did not give details and the White House did not comment further.

Today, Lee will visit a shipyard in Philadelphia belonging to the Hanwha Group, where he is expected to refer to some of South Korea’s future investments in the US. Trump is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Summit in South Korea from October 30 to November 1st.