Lee, who reportedly read the U.S. leader's book "The Art of the Deal" as part of preps for the summit, opened talks with lavish praise for his past efforts to engage with Pyongyang
"I hope you can bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, the only divided nation in the world, so that you can meet with [North Korean leader] 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," Lee said. He then suggested that he would serve as a "pacemaker" in the process, touting Trump as the "only person" capable of improving relations with North Korea.
Repeatedly boasting of his close relationship with Kim, Trump replied, "I'd like to meet him this year..... I look forward to meeting [Kim] at the appropriate time," raising prospects for rapprochement with the North, in line with Lee's recent series of conciliatory gestures toward Pyongyang since taking office in early June.
Trump also said he would "come" to South Korea for the upcoming APEC summit, scheduled this fall in the historic southern city of Gyeongju, which could pave the way for another meeting with Kim, possibly at the truce village of Panmunjom or elsewhere, although it remains uncertain whether Kim will want to talk with either Trump or Lee.
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.
But Trump unexpectedly implied that Washington wants to own 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."
"They want to renegotiate the deal, but that's okay," he further explained. "That doesn't mean they get anything, but I don't mind, but we're going to have some very serious discussions about different things, including trade," suggesting that additional demands may come later, as specific details of some sticking points in the trade deal as well as key defense issues were largely unaddressed or unsettled.
However, Presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung later clarified in a press briefing that there was no discussion or request regarding further opening of agricultural products and other produces, a contentious issue due to strong opposition from farmers and manufacturers here.
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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