South Korea's Lee Jae Myung turns attraction on throughout Trump assembly

[ad_1] Jean Mackenzie Seoul correspondent

Koh Ewe BBC Information, Singapore

Watch: Trump says he desires to fulfill Kim Jong Un

Hours earlier than South Korean president Lee Jae Myung was because of meet US president Donald Trump, a Reality Social publish dropped.

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA?" Trump wrote, pointing to a "Purge or Revolution" - which many noticed as a reference to the prosecution of former president Yoon Suk Yeol for his unsuccessful try and impose martial legislation final December.

However Lee turned on the attraction and averted a repeat of what occurred to Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky or South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa.

However the assembly was dominated by Trump's fixed references to North Korea and regardless of Lee's flattery, didn't yield a lot by the use of easing commerce and defence points. Listed here are three predominant takeaways.

Lee's technique of flattery labored

Lee's crew had been nervous about this assembly, and so they had good purpose to be: Trump is traditionally cautious of South Korea, regardless of it being a US ally. Up to now, he has accused it of freeloading from the tens of hundreds of US troops which might be stationed on the peninsula serving to to defend towards North Korea. He has additionally criticised Seoul's defence spending and its commerce surplus with the US.

Lee, a left-wing politician, has a status in Washington that performs to the worst of Trump's fears. He has been sceptical of the US alliance and mentioned he wished to develop stronger ties with China. He has additionally been painted by some US conservative commentators as being "anti-American".

Lee's crew had been anxious he may be subjected to an Oval Workplace dressing down and must defend himself towards proper wing conspiracy theories.

The reality social publish within the hours earlier than the assembly would have given them a scare. Trump's ominous-sounding message seemed to be referring to the aftermath of South Korea's martial legislation disaster final December, and the efforts Mr Lee's authorities and prosecutors are making to research the ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, his spouse, and former members of his authorities.

It's one thing the far-right in South Korea, and even some within the US, have railed towards.

This was the nightmare situation for South Korean officers – that Mr Lee may be compelled to defend himself towards proper wing conspiracy theories. However when the assembly arrived, Mr Trump raised the difficulty, solely to rapidly brush it off as a possible misunderstanding.

However Lee's technique of flattery clearly labored. He first marveled on the Oval Workplace's "brilliant and delightful" new look, then heaped praises the non-public rapport that the US president has constructed with North Korean chief Kim Jong Un.

"The one one that could make progress is you Mr President", Mr Lee mentioned. "For those who change into the peacemaker, then I'll help you by being a pacemaker."

Lee even joked about constructing a Trump Tower in North Korea and enjoying golf there.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/88a9/live/aebe1ae0-820f-11f0-aa9b-01131831061f.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/88a9/live/aebe1ae0-820f-11f0-aa9b-01131831061f.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/88a9/live/aebe1ae0-820f-11f0-aa9b-01131831061f.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/88a9/live/aebe1ae0-820f-11f0-aa9b-01131831061f.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/88a9/live/aebe1ae0-820f-11f0-aa9b-01131831061f.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/88a9/live/aebe1ae0-820f-11f0-aa9b-01131831061f.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/88a9/live/aebe1ae0-820f-11f0-aa9b-01131831061f.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/88a9/live/aebe1ae0-820f-11f0-aa9b-01131831061f.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Getty Images Lee Jae Myung and Trump sitting side by side in yellow armchairs in the Oval Office. They are wearing dark coloured suits with red ties. They're looking and smiling in the same direction." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures Forward of the assembly with Trump, there have been fears in Seoul that Lee Jae Myung may be ambushed

If this appears a bit fawning, this was South Korea's technique for this high-stakes assembly, which aimed was meant to cowl commerce, the position of US troops in South Korea and the way a lot Seoul spends on its defence.

The primary objective of Lee's crew was to ensure that he left the Oval Workplace on Trump's good aspect.

Later, when requested by a reporter about his earlier feedback on South Korean authorities raiding church buildings, Trump mentioned that he had heard about it by way of "intel" however that "did not sound to me like South Korea".

The "hearsay" was seemingly a "misunderstanding", Trump mentioned. When Lee mentioned that authorities have been investigating the declare, Trump mentioned he was positive that they might "work it out".

It appeared like Lee had averted a Zelensky second on the White Home - and his crew can breathe a sigh of reduction.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/485a/live/70de6c20-821e-11f0-9818-3561d26981d2.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/485a/live/70de6c20-821e-11f0-9818-3561d26981d2.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/485a/live/70de6c20-821e-11f0-9818-3561d26981d2.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/485a/live/70de6c20-821e-11f0-9818-3561d26981d2.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/485a/live/70de6c20-821e-11f0-9818-3561d26981d2.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/485a/live/70de6c20-821e-11f0-9818-3561d26981d2.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/485a/live/70de6c20-821e-11f0-9818-3561d26981d2.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/485a/live/70de6c20-821e-11f0-9818-3561d26981d2.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Standing on a road in the Joint Security Area, Trump gestures with his hands as he speaks, wearing a navy suit and red tie. Beside him stands Kim Jong Un, wearing a black button-up suit, looking solemn with his hands by his side." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures Trump, who met Kim thrice in his first time period, usually brings up the dictator

Kim Jong Un looms massive

It would look unusual to see President Trump sitting subsequent to the South Korean chief, of their first ever assembly, speaking about how nicely he acquired on with Kim Jong Un, the South's sworn enemy, and the way a lot he is wanting ahead to assembly him once more.

However that is really one of many few areas of widespread floor these two leaders have.

South Korea's comparatively new president Lee Jae Myung is taking a brand new method to North Korea than that of his predecessor, who was accused of antagonising Kim Jong Un.

It was, in actual fact, Lee who initiated the dialog about Kim Jong Un, praising President Trump for the non-public rapport he has constructed with the North Korean chief, and asking him to behave as a "peacemaker" on the Korean peninsula.

Lee desires to speak to Kim, to ascertain peaceable relations between the North and South, however he is aware of that Trump has a much better probability of constructing this occur than he does.

Trump, who met Kim thrice in his first time period, usually brings up the dictator. Trump famously mentioned the pair "fell in love" whereas exchanging letters.

"I spent a number of free time with him, speaking about issues that we most likely aren't supposed to speak about," Trump mentioned on Monday. "I get together with him rather well."

"I stay up for assembly with Kim Jong Un within the acceptable future," Trump added.

The query is whether or not Kim Jong Un will wish to discuss to both of them.

North Korea has repeatedly rejected Lee's makes an attempt to speak, and ignored makes an attempt by the US to restart dialogue. It hasn't closed the door on speaking to Trump, however has urged it must be on very totally different phrases than earlier than - on the premise that North Korea wouldn't quit its nuclear weapons.

That is now one thing Seoul and Washington should attempt to navigate.

Commerce, defence points unresolved

Excessive on the agenda for Lee's White Home go to was commerce and defence. However no concrete agreements have been made for both.

Seoul had managed to barter the US tariffs on South Korean items down to fifteen%, after Trump threatened charges as excessive as 25%. This got here after Seoul agreed to take a position $350bn (£264.1bn) within the US - $150bn of which is able to go into serving to the US construct ships.

South Korea has a thriving shipbuilding trade, constructing extra vessels than every other nation on the earth apart from China, at a time when US shipbuilding and its navy is in decline.

And simply hours after Lee's White Home assembly, Korean Air introduced that it could purchase 103 Boeing planes.

However the tariffs on South Korean items is not going to be lowered anytime quickly. "I believe we have now a deal carried out" on commerce, Trump advised reporters after the assembly, with out offering extra particulars. "That they had some issues with it, however we caught to our weapons."

The assembly additionally did little to maneuver different thornier problems with bilateral ties.

On Monday, Trump sidestepped a query about withdrawing US troops from South Korea - an concept that the White Home has reportedly toyed with as Trump repeatedly accused South Korea of making the most of US safety and never paying sufficient for defence.

Additionally on Monday, Trump floated the concept of letting the US personal the piece of land housing Osan Air Base, to the south of Seoul, collectively operated by the US and South Korea.

However some assurance that Lee acquired from Trump, not less than, was the financial alliance between their nations. The US and South Korea "want one another" for commerce, Trump advised reporters in Lee's presence.

"We love what they do, we love their product, we love their ships, we love a number of the issues they make," he mentioned. In the meantime South Korea wants oil and gasoline, and the US could be buying and selling these with them, he added.