The Tamesis
On Monday, the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean rival Lee Jae Myung was another hilarious White House show, shocking and embarrassing, but fortunately, this time was mostly enthusiastic remarks.
You never know what you’re going to get; this is Trump, now 79, who returns to the popular seats and has little restraint in any place you don’t like.
On Monday, Trump said how much he wants Like to be with North Korean leader Kim Jong-eun againhe encountered it several times during his first term. Later it was suggested that he and Li should fly to China together.
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“I want to have a meeting. I look forward to meeting Kim Jong-un in the right future,” Trump said in an Oval Office meeting with Lee.
Trump said he knew North Korean leader “better than almost anyone other than his sister.
Later, in answering questions from Chinese journalists, he said: “At some point, probably this year or soon after, we will go to China,” AFP reported. “We will establish good relations with China.
“Maybe we’ll go together. Do you (Lee Jae Myung) want to go together? We can share a plane and we’ll save energy, we’ll save a little, ah, ah, you know, ozone.”
Lee is credited with his preparation for his big day, but despite some awkward moments, including when Trump came up with the idea of owning land with a huge U.S. military base, it seems relaxed and largely relaxed.
“We spent a lot of money, built a fortress, and South Korea contributed, but I wanted to see if we could get rid of the lease and get land with a lot of military bases.”
Trump then commented on China, repeating his early comments on Fox News – which would allow 600,000 Chinese students to study in the United States.
This seems to have fallen under the circumstances of Beijing Global Era Tuesday noted that the “tone shift” began in June when Trump said he “always agree” to welcome students from China.
Non-binding agreement for $35 billion investment
Later, progress was made between Seoul and Washington on a non-binding agreement on how they would manage the $350 billion that South Korea agreed to invest in the U.S. in part of its July tariff deal, a senior South Korean official told Reuters.
Seoul Last month, an agreement was reached on a transaction agreement Cut U.S. tariffs in exchange for a promised investment, but how the details of the plan are explained in various ways, including how profits are distributed.
Presidential policy adviser Kim Dong-Bim said on Monday that he held a two-hour meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, both sides are making extensive progress. King said the United States hopes to agree to a memorandum of understanding to monitor investment plans as soon as possible.
Kim said the “financial solution” will support strategic industries such as key minerals, batteries, chips, medical drugs, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. He reiterated $150 billion has also been designated for shipbuilding.
Kim said Seoul will establish a task force to develop detailed implementation plans led by the Ministry of Finance and join by state-funded banks.
South Korean officials have previously objected to Lutnick’s remarks, suggesting that the United States will make 90% profit from its investment. Officials in Seoul also said equity investments will account for a small percentage, while loans and guarantees will account for the majority of the funds.
Trump said in July that South Korea will invest in projects “owned and controlled by the United States” and will be his choice.
South Korean officials said a security mechanism would be added to reduce financing risks, including the U.S. commitment to purchase products from projects and invest in commercially viable projects.
Lee supports Trump and Kim Jong-un’s participation
One big thing for President Lee is to avoid what he calls the “Zelenskiy moment” after Trump welcomed him to Washington with a right-wing conspiracy theory. Officials and analysts said Monday’s summit was largely what the two leaders and South Korea hoped for, despite the beginning.
South Koreans avoid their greatest fear: the Oval Office ambush is similar to the custodial exchange in February, when Trump accused Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy of aid to the United States and war with Russia.
“President Lee’s Oval Office journalist seemed to be better than expected,” said Leif-eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.
The main issue on South Korea will agree to pay for the base of 28,500 U.S. troops, and many details are still being formulated in a hurry- negotiated tariff agreement, but have not been raised in writing.
However, Lee avoided some observers’ fears that some observers would openly undermine any conflict that would openly undermine the long-term alliance as North Korea’s growing number of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles develop and deepen ties with Russia.
“I read the president’s book”
Hours before the meeting, Trump wrote a social media post saying: “What happened in South Korea? It seems to be a purge or revolution,” he said he would ask the question with Lee.
But Trump seemed to soften after 40 minutes, Lee (spoken through an interpreter) praised him and explained that investigators carried out a raid limited to the North Korean side of the base jointly operated with the United States in connection with the political crisis.
The U.S. president later cut back on his post, suggesting that his earlier comments might be “misunderstanding.”
Lee said in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies following the summit: “Before I met President Trump today, he posted a very threatening position on truth social. My staff are worried that we might face the Zelenskiy moment.
“But I already know I won’t face this situation; that’s because I’ve read President Trump’s book The Art of Deal.”
Some problems have not been resolved
But keeping things ambiguous means South Korea’s policy goals are unresolved, including the U.S. approval of nuclear fuel reprocessing and Amend US shipbuilding lawsan analyst told Reuters.
“Trump has not embarrassed Lee’s Trump, and both sides seem to try to avoid sensitive issues such as South Korea’s political position in tensions between China and Taiwan,” said Jun Kwang-Woo, chairman of the Global Economics Institute. “Trump may not be under tension with Lee right now, and he is already under pressure under friction with other countries.”
Yang British from the Asan Policy Institute in Seoul said Trump’s pressure on South Korea shows that he understands how much he can get from the country.
“The basic formula of (Trump’s) first shakes the other person and then gets what you want,” Young said.
Lee said he observed that Trump often faces difficult conditions in negotiations with other countries, but reasonable conclusions will be drawn in the final stage.
“I believe he won’t hurt our league due to the importance of the South Korean-American alliance,” Lee said. “Everyone gave me patience advice.”
- Jim Pollard, with Reuters and other inputs
Note: The title of this report has been changed and was edited on August 26, 2025.
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