Hosted by Aju Business Daily, the seminar was held in Yeouido, where participants engaged in a heated debate over strengthening the alliance with the U.S. in response to North Korea's continuous development of its nuclear weapons program as well as other global challenges since President Donald Trump began his second non-consecutive term in January this year.
Kim Geon of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) called for an even stronger alliance with the U.S. "In an era where global uncertainty grows and competition deepens, it is crucial to clearly analyze where we stand and where we are headed, and to establish strategies to swiftly cope with challenges," he said, adding, "At the core of this should be our alliance with Washington."
The diplomat-turned-lawmaker also emphasized the importance of "concerted diplomacy" in collaboration with the government, businesses, academics, and citizens.
Another PPP lawmaker, Yoo Yong-won, suggested tactics for approaching Trump. "Some call Trump a 'rugby ball' because he often takes unpredictable bounces. But as these cases accumulate, we may be able to anticipate some of his moves."
Stressing the need for a strategic approach when dealing with Trump, the military reporter-turned-lawmaker also shared his past experience covering the American president's first photo-op with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in 2018, where the former real estate tycoon persuaded Kim with his vision of turning the isolated country's Wonsan into an international tourist spot.
Veteran lawmaker Park Jie-won of the main opposition Democratic Party, who opened the seminar, pointed out that the country is facing a major crisis across all areas. "Both internally and externally, a strong tempest is expected to bring a sea of change, but we will turn this crisis into an opportunity," he said.
Kim Jun-hyung, a lawmaker from the minor Rebuilding Korea Party founded by disgraced former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, said he has been working closely with Park and other fellow lawmakers to devise measures to effectively respond to the challenges posed by the new Trump administration.
"Given the unprecedented nature of the current U.S. administration, we should come up with innovative strategies, rather than simply reiterating the importance of the bilateral alliance as we did in the past, since that approach is no longer effective," he warned.
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