A new dawn for alliance

The Korea-U.S. relationship has entered a new chapter. On Wednesday in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump reached a dramatic breakthrough in the long-stalled tariff and security negotiations. The two leaders agreed on a framework for Korea to invest $350 billion in the United States, which will involve cooperation in shipbuilding and advanced technology, and a tentative pathway to expanding nuclear energy collaboration. While the deal may not fulfill every expectation, it stands as a balanced and realistic compromise that strengthens both countries’ strategic and economic foundations. At the heart of the talks was a dispute over how to finance the $200 billion in cash-based investments that form the core of the agreement. Washington had initially demanded that Seoul make a full, upfront payment, an impossible condition given Korea’s foreign exchange capacity. The final deal allows Korea to pay up to $20 billion annually, a middle ground between the U.S. proposal of $25 billion annually for eight years and Korea’s suggestiWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times