State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce extended her congratulations to President Lee once again, stating, "We are confident under his leadership that our alliance will continue to thrive."
However, the U.S. declined to comment on Lee's "pragmatic" foreign policy, which seeks to maintain stable relations with China while strengthening the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea. She suggested contacting the White House for U.S. President Donald Trump's stance on that matter. The State Department's announcement came four days after Lee and Trump's phone call, which lasted about 20 minutes.
According to South Korea's Presidential Office, the two leaders agreed to arrange an in-person meeting at the earliest opportunity to pursue a mutually acceptable resolution on tariff-related issues.
Trump has decided to double tariffs on steel and aluminum products from 25 percent to 50 percent starting Jun. 4. The Korea Development Institute (KDI) analyzed that trade uncertainty remains elevated due to the tariff hike and renewed concerns over the U.S.-China trade tensions.
They will be meeting in the upcoming G7 Summit, scheduled to take place from Jun. 15 to 17 in Canada, where Lee has been invited as a guest.
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