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Last-minute diplomatic flurry suggests sparks may fly at Lee-Trump summit

Published: 25 Aug. 2025, 08:02 Updated: 25 Aug. 2025, 18:40

This combination of pictures created on Aug. 19 shows President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul on June 4 and U.S. President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15. Trump will host his Korean counterpart on Aug. 25 to hammer out details of their recent trade deal and discuss chips, shipbuilding and other topics. [AFP/YONHAP]

With President Lee Jae Myung set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, signs of strain in last-minute negotiations have fueled speculation that the summit could prove contentious.

The urgency was apparent when Foreign Minister Cho Hyun rushed to Washington on Thursday, followed by chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik on Sunday.

With Wi Sung-lac and Kim Yong-beom both accompanying President Lee for his summit in Japan, all three top aides — the chief of staff, the national security adviser and the policy chief — are expected to be away from the presidential office during an overseas trip, a highly unusual development.

Speaking to reporters before boarding his flight, Kang hinted at unresolved differences, saying, “If meeting one more person or making one more argument can help persuade the other side, then of course I should go.”

That lingering discord raises concerns that uncoordinated demands could surface during talks with Trump, who has often staged summit meetings in the style of a live “reality show.”

Trade is expected to dominate the agenda, and negotiations have reportedly become strained over Seoul’s $350 billion investment pledge. Washington is said to be pressing for written commitments with specific details to be unveiled at the summit.

Trump himself wrote on social media on July 31 that the figure represented investment "owned and controlled" by the United States, while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added that “90 percent" of the returns will go to Americans, effectively portraying the pledge as a handout.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks at a press briefing on the results of President Lee Jae Myung's visit to Japan in Tokyo on Aug. 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Until recently, Kim Yong-bum, policy chief at the presidential office, had played down such demands, saying, “Nobody knows the actual figure, and ambiguity is better.” But as the summit drew near, Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan rushed to Washington, and Foreign Minister Cho cut short her schedule in Japan to join negotiations, even taking a connecting flight rather than a direct route due to the urgency.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that Cho’s trip was prompted by Washington’s request for last-minute coordination on the language of the joint statement. Observers believe Trump may have personally demanded concrete commitments when reviewing the draft in advance.

U.S. messaging after Cho’s talks with Secretary of State Mark Rubio on Friday also drew attention. The State Department said the two discussed strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region and expanding burden-sharing, while describing the alliance in terms of revitalizing U.S. manufacturing and restoring fairness and reciprocity in trade.

The reference to deterrence expansion was read in Seoul as a push for “strategic flexibility,” extending U.S. Forces Korea’s role beyond the peninsula and even hinting at a potential troop reduction. The mention of burden-sharing was taken as a signal that Washington will press for a steep increase in Seoul’s defense contributions.

Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, right, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pose for a photo during their talks in Washington on Aug. 22. [YONHAP]

The Washington Post reported that during tariff negotiations, the United States considered demanding that Korea raise defense spending to 3.8 percent of GDP from the current 2.6 percent and boost its cost-sharing for U.S. troop deployment by more than $1 billion. Analysts see the State Department’s joint statement — linking security and trade — as reflecting Trump’s intent to explicitly tie the two issues at the summit.

Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said in a discussion hosted by the Korea Economic Institute of America, “Seoul has shown confidence that these issues can be managed, but I am more pessimistic,” voicing doubt over Korea’s optimism.

Shipbuilding cooperation emerges as Korea’s counteroffer

Seoul appears poised to highlight shipbuilding cooperation as its main bargaining chip in response to U.S. demands. During his short trip to the United States, President Lee is scheduled to visit Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, far from Washington.

Hanwha acquired the yard in December 2024 with a $100 million investment, making it a centerpiece of bilateral cooperation under the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again, or MASGA, initiative, which played a decisive role during tariff negotiations. The yard is currently building five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels ordered by the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Trump has repeatedly emphasized cooperation with Korea’s shipbuilding industry. The presidential office, in announcing Lee’s schedule, hinted that a senior U.S. official may accompany him to the shipyard visit. Yet as Lee boarded his plane to Washington after wrapping up his Japan schedule, it remained unclear which U.S. dignitary, if any, would join him.

President Lee Jae Myung, right, and First Lady Kim Hea Kyung wave as they board Air Force One at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Aug. 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Nuclear accord revision back on the table?

Another sensitive issue could be a revision of the bilateral nuclear accord. Under the current agreement, revised in 2015, Korea must obtain U.S. consent to enrich uranium below 20 percent and is barred from reprocessing spent fuel.

Those restrictions do not apply to Japan, a discrepancy long regarded in Seoul as an unfair constraint. Washington, however, has resisted revising the agreement, citing the proliferation risks associated with plutonium extraction, which could provide material for nuclear weapons.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac raised expectations on Friday, saying at a press briefing that Seoul hoped to “make progress on the issue through the summit,” suggesting that the topic could be formally included in the agenda.

Even so, uncertainty lingers over how far Washington might go. During Trump’s first term, Seoul and Washington officially discussed Korea’s interest in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, but ultimately failed to realize the plan.

Wi, speaking to reporters before leaving Japan, noted that coordination was still underway and expressed hope that it would be completed by the time of the summit. For Lee, however, the trip began with some of the most sensitive agenda items still unresolved.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KANG TAE-HWA [[email protected]]