Washington, Aug 25
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said that it is difficult to agree on a demand by Washington on the strategic flexibility of the US forces stationed in South Korea, as the decades-old alliance between Seoul and Washington is expected to face a monumental change, possibly to better deter China.
Speaking to reporters aboard his flight from Tokyo to Washington before his pivotal summit with US President Donald Trump on Monday, Lee said he plans to discuss a wide range of issues, with security, defense cost-sharing and tariff negotiations expected to top the agenda.
Among the sensitive issues is the role of the 28,500 US Forces Korea (USFK) troops stationed in South Korea. Washington has sought more flexibility in their mission as part of its broader strategy to counter China.
Lee told reporters that "it is true" the United States has demanded "flexibility" of the USFK, but "this is not an issue we can easily agree with."
"Instead, discussions on a future-oriented strategic transformation of US Forces Korea are necessary from our perspective as well," Lee said.
The Trump administration has been pushing to "modernize" the alliance with South Korea, a process that could involve higher South Korean defense spending and a realignment of the 28,500-strong USFK amid Washington's drive to counter an increasingly assertive China.
Lee also expected trade and economic issues to feature prominently during his talks with Trump, the first since Seoul and Washington reached a deal that lowered tariffs from 25 per cent to 15 per cent in return for a US$350 billion investment pledge and other commitments.
Details remain unclear over Seoul's $350 billion investment pledge, with differences lingering between South Korean and US officials on sensitive issues, including expanded access to South Korea's farm and livestock markets.
Lee said it would be difficult to revisit agreements already announced by both leaders, though he acknowledged there are voices within the US government pushing for greater access to South Korea's farm and livestock markets.
"We believe it is not desirable to easily overturn something once it has been agreed upon," he said.
He also described revision of the bilateral nuclear accord as an "important task" in foreign policy but declined to elaborate further, citing the ongoing negotiations.
Lee said he does not expect the US to make unreasonable demands in talks, vowing to make efforts to safeguard national interests.
"In the end, we will reach a realistic and reasonable conclusion," he said. "The process is very difficult. Still, knowing that it is difficult allows us to prepare in advance, so I will do my best."
Lee said he will also raise a full range of issues on North Korea at his summit with Trump, emphasising the need to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang at a time when the North has rebuffed Lee's peace overture.
"The issue of North Korea is very important to us, so whether it is a nuclear issue or North Korean issue, peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula are the most important things for the security," Lee said.
The summit follows Lee's recent unveiling of a three-stage denuclearization plan, which aims to persuade Pyongyang to freeze, reduce and eventually dismantle its nuclear weapons program.
Before traveling to the US, Lee made a two-day trip to Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday, where the two leaders pledged to bolster bilateral cooperation and trilateral cooperation with Washington.
While Lee and Ishiba touched on historical issues, they avoided delving into sensitive matters such as wartime forced labor and former sex slaves, euphemistically called "comfort women," drawing criticism at home.
Lee acknowledged that his visit fell short on historical disputes, saying he anticipated such negative reactions.
"Even if I face criticism, I believe we must do what can be done in terms of Korea-Japan cooperation," he said, vowing to build trust with Japan to make progress in the historical disputes.
Lee said Ishiba shared details of Japan's trade talks with Washington at his request and promised to cooperate in upcoming negotiations.
He explained that visiting Tokyo before Washington was part of a pragmatic approach to establish a trilateral cooperation framework, breaking with past precedent in which South Korean presidents traditionally visited the US first.
While Lee reaffirmed the US alliance as the "bedrock" of South Korea's foreign policy and vowed to bolster Korea-US-Japan cooperation, he also stressed the need to stably manage relations with China.
Asked about concerns in the US over his perceived pro-China leanings, Lee dismissed it as a "subjective" assessment, highlighting his "pragmatic, interest-based" diplomacy.
"The foundation of our diplomacy is the Korea-US alliance, but can we really sever ties and live without China?" he said. "If not severing ties with China makes me 'pro-China,' then in that sense, I should be pro-China."
