Korea-US summit: Takeoff into headwinds

On Monday in Washington, D.C., the first summit meeting between President Lee Jae Myung of Korea and President Donald Trump of the United States took place at the White House. The preparation process for the summit was watched anxiously, but the event concluded with a sigh of relief — more because of what did not happen than what did. President Trump created a last-minute spectacle by posting critical comments about the domestic political situation in South Korea on his social media. The topic was raised at the meeting, but things settled down following a clarification from President Lee. Overall, the summit turned out better than previously anticipated. For summit diplomacy, optics often matter more than substance. A new Korean president’s first encounter with the U.S. president usually sets the tone for the remainder of their term. In that sense, the Lee administration can be assessed as having made a smooth takeoff, despite mounting challenges on almost every front of the relationship with the U.S. The following three takeaways stand out for the immediate future: First, positive pWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times