U.S. President Donald Trump landed in the Republic of Korea on Wednesday, kicking off the final leg of his Asia tour in historic Gyeongju. The city, hosting this year’s APEC forum, set the stage for his meeting with ROK President Lee Jae-Myung.
Before they sat down, Trump told attendees at the APEC Leaders’ Meeting that a long-stalled trade deal would be sealed “very soon.” Both sides are playing it cool about exact timing, but the goal is clear: dodge tough tariffs and ramp up collaboration.
Back in July, the two countries sketched out a deal where Seoul would invest a whopping $350 billion in U.S. ventures to skirt the worst tariffs. Negotiators have since been digging into how to structure that huge commitment.
At the National Museum, Lee honored Trump with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea’s top award, complete with an elaborate sash and medal. “I’d like to wear it right now,” Trump quipped, rocking the crown 👑.
Over a shiny “golden dessert” at lunch, Lee pledged more defense spending — a nod to Trump’s push for allies to up their game. He also asked the U.S. to green-light reprocessing nuclear fuel for Seoul’s submarines, a request tied up in current security agreements.
Trump closed the session by vowing to help “straighten out” the Republic of Korea’s issues with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Details are still in draft, but both leaders seemed upbeat about steering their partnership into new waters. 🌊🚀
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
