Lee opened talks by praising Trump for his past efforts to engage with Pyongyang, saying, "I hope you can bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, the only divided nation in the world, so that you can meet with Kim Jong-un, build a 'Trump World' (resort complex) in North Korea so that I can play golf there, and so that you can truly play a role as a world-historical peacemaker."
"I'd like to meet him this year," Trump replied. "I look forward to meeting [Kim] at the appropriate time," he added, suggesting possible talks and rapprochement with the isolated country, in line with Lee's recent series of conciliatory gestures toward Pyongyang since taking office in early June.
Among the key topics on the summit's agenda, Lee expressed his willingness to increase defense spending for the evolving posture of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), while embracing greater "flexibility" in its role for broader regional security and other challenges, in line with Washington's push to "modernize" the bilateral alliance.
Trump also mentioned that Seoul should give Washington ownership of the "land where we have the big fort," likely referring to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province here, the largest U.S. overseas military base. He declined to provide further details, only hinting at possible adjustments by saying, "I don't want to say that now."
Regarding the two countries' tariff-related deal, agreed last month to lower reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in return for massive investment and wider market opening, Trump said, "I think we have a deal done. They had some problems with it, but we stuck to our guns."
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung later said during a press briefing that there had been no discussion of further opening South Korea's agricultural and livestock markets, a contentious issue due to strong opposition from farmers and producers here.
After the summit at the White House, which lasted about two and a half hours, Lee attended a business forum with senior U.S. officials, mingling with business leaders and other executives from major companies including Boeing and Nvidia.
Later in the evening, he delivered a keynote speech at Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he presented his vision for the bilateral alliance between Seoul and Washington.
On Tuesday, Lee is scheduled to lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, then travel to Pennsylvania to visit a memorial hall dedicated to independence fighter Seo Jae-pil, also known as Philip Jaisohn, and tour a Hanwha-owned shipyard before returning to Seoul.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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