Tag: Donald Trump

It is interesting that President Trump actually noticed all the people from the prior South Korean government getting prosecuted. I wonder if he realizes this is largely what the Korean left does when they get in power, they prosecute prior conservative administrations for things real and imagined:

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday there seems to be something like a “purge or revolution” in South Korea, and that the United States cannot have such a thing and “do business there,” as he is set to have a summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the day.

Trump made the remarks in a social media post, as former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been detained over his botched martial law bid in December.

“WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA? Seems like a Purge or Revolution,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“We can’t have that and do business there. I am seeing the new President today at the White House,” he added.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

I think support for the operational flexibility for USFK will be a major outcome from this summit:

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump will hold their first summit in Washington on Aug. 25 to discuss ways to bolster the two nations’ alliance and cooperation in advanced industries, the presidential office said Tuesday.

Lee will depart for a three-day visit to the United States on Aug. 24, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters, marking his first visit to the U.S. since he took office in early June.

“The two leaders plan to discuss ways to develop the Korea-U.S. alliance into a future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance in response to the changing international security and economic environment,” Kang said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

The rhetoric from President Trump has shifted from NATO to now South Korea in effort to get them to increase defense spending:

 U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that South Korea pays the United States “very little” for America’s military support and should pay for its own defense, amid expectations that he would demand the Asian ally shoulder a greater security burden.

Trump made the remarks during a Cabinet meeting, reinforcing speculation that his administration might demand that Seoul sharply increase its spending on national defense or its share of the cost for stationing the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).

“We rebuilt South Korea. We stayed there. It’s okay. We rebuilt it,” Trump said. “And we stayed there, and they pay us very little for the military.”

He cast South Korea as “making a lot of money” — a remark that further raised pressure on Seoul to jack up its defense spending.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but the ROK government had to know this was coming considering President Trump’s past rhetoric demanding the ROK to pay more for the upkeep of USFK. We should soon see how they respond to the demand from Trump.

Here is the latest in regards to where South Korea stands in the global trade war with the Trump administration:

Calls are mounting for Seoul to refrain from signing a tariff deal hastily with Washington, as the leaders of Japan and other U.S. trade partners criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s letters threatening “reciprocal” tariffs he said will take effect on Aug. 1.

Amid the limited impact of the U.S. tariff threats on the stock market, speculation is also growing that the Lee Jae Myung administration will maintain a cautious approach — though it has ostensibly vowed to accelerate trade negotiations.

After receiving Trump’s letter Tuesday, Lee remained silent on the issue during public events. The presidential office also said Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy, prioritized the national interest over immediate negotiations during an emergency meeting with relevant ministry officials that day. (……)

Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, a former chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, said in a radio interview Wednesday that Korea should be in solidarity with Japan to reject unilateral requests from the U.S.

Myongji University professor Kim Tae-hwang advised Korea to align with Japan and the European Union, both of which are key trade partners of the U.S.

These suggestions were backed by Trump’s inconsistency in the tariff deadline, which has been ridiculed with the term “TACO,” which stands for “Trump always chickens out.” According to Forbes, the U.S. president has flip-flopped 28 times regarding his tariff policy.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but Trump has actually brought Korean leftists in line with Japan due to the current trade dispute.

I think Trump was probably referring to any provocation that happens on the peninsula he would use his relationship with Kim Jong-un to get it resolved:

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States will “get the conflict solved” with North Korea if there is one, reiterating that he has had a “good” relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Trump made the remarks during a press availability, apparently reiterating his openness to reengaging with the recalcitrant regime, as his administration has stated its commitment to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea.

“If there is a conflict … I get along with him very, very well, and we’ll get the conflict solved with North Korea,” Trump said, when asked to confirm an NK News report that he had sent a letter to Kim, which North Korean diplomats in New York refused to accept.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Unfortunately President Lee will have to wait for another time to meet with President Trump because he is busy right now trying to determine whether to end the Iranian regime:

 President Lee Jae Myung’s envisioned meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Canada won’t take place as Trump abruptly left the Group of Seven (G7) summit earlier than scheduled, Lee’s office said. 

Lee’s office had been arranging the first in-person meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit, but the White House said Trump will return home Monday night due to the deadly Israel-Iran conflict, dashing hopes for Lee to have talks with Trump during the gathering.

“As Trump suddenly returned today, it has become difficult to hold the Korea-U.S. summit that was scheduled for tomorrow. It appears to be related to the military conflict between Israel and Iran,” National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters in Calgary.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but on the topic of ending the Iranian regime does anyone else find it despicable how many American leftists are on social media cheering on the Iranians against Israel? Ironically these same people cheering on the Iranians probably have coexist stickers on their cars and wave gay pride flags.

Trump has executed his usual playbook of making an extreme demand and then settling on what he really wanted and everyone claims he backed down:

 U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday lowered “reciprocal” tariffs on South Korea and other trading partners to 10 percent in what he called a pause that will last for 90 days, while increasing duties on China to 125 percent following China’s retaliatory move.

In a social media post, Trump made the announcement as reciprocal tariffs went into effect on the day, with dozens of countries striving to negotiate deals over new levies. Last week, his administration unveiled 25 percent tariffs on South Korea, 24 percent on Japan and 20 percent on the European Union, to name a few.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It sounds like this really was a good phone call considering the positive spin President Trump has put on it:

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he and South Korea’s acting President Han Duck-soo discussed Seoul’s payment for the United States’ “big time” military protection of the Asian ally as they held their first phone call since Trump took office in January.

In a social media post, he said he had a “great” call with Han, during which they touched on a range of issues, including South Korea’s “tremendous and unsustainable” trade surplus with the U.S., the purchase of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) and bilateral shipbuilding cooperation.

Their conversation came four days after South Korea’s Constitutional Court removed President Yoon Suk Yeol from office over his short-lived martial law imposition in December.

“I just had a great call with the Acting President of South Korea. We talked about their tremendous and unsustainable Surplus, Tariffs, Shipbuilding, large scale purchase of U.S. LNG, their joint venture in an Alaska Pipeline, and payment for the big time Military Protection we provide to South Korea,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“They began these Military payments during my first term, Billions of Dollars, but Sleepy Joe Biden, for reasons unknown, terminated the deal. That was a shocker to all! In any event, we have the confines and probability of a great DEAL for both countries.”

Trump added that South Korea’s “top” team is on a plane heading to the U.S. for negotiations.

“Things are looking good,” he said. “We are likewise dealing with many other countries, all of whom want to make a deal with the United States.”

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but the problem Trump will need to deal with is that if an agreement is reached with the interim government, the new government in 60 days could change it all.

It looks like Trump is signaling at some point there will be a reach out to the Kim regime. However, with the administration tied down trying to negotiate a peace between Ukraine and Russia, the North Korea issue will likely remain on the back burner:

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed his desire to reestablish the relationship that he had with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first term, boasting that he “got along great” with the reclusive leader and still has a “great” relationship with him.

During a press availability, Trump made the remarks, describing the North Korean leader as a “nuclear power” with “a lot of nuclear weapons,” as his administration is pursuing the goal of the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea.

“Well, I would,” Trump said, responding to a reporter’s question of whether he has a plan to reestablish the relationship he had under his first presidential mandate.

“I had a great relationship with Kim Jong-un (of) North Korea. If I wasn’t elected, if Hillary got in, you would have had a nuclear war with North Korea,” he added, as he sat next to North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House for talks.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but I think Trump is exagerating that there would have been a nuclear war if Hillary was elected. She more than likely would have continued the Obama era policy of strategic patience which was basically doing nothing with North Korea.

I give Trump credit for doing something different in regards to North Korea during his first term though it didn’t work. His outreach did reduce tensions for two years, but still did not slow down North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and advanced missile systems to deliver them.