Lee and Ishiba previously met on the sidelines of the June G7 meetings in Canada, where they called for building a future-oriented relationship and agreed to cooperate closely on various issues including trade and countering North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. Lee’s meeting with Ishiba is clearly intended as preparation for the tougher challenge of the summit with Trump, who has unsettled allies and partners with tariff hikes and demands to reduce reliance on the U.S. while paying more for their defense. Lee’s meeting with Trump will come against the backdrop of concerns in Seoul that the Trump administration could shake up the decades-old alliance by demanding higher payments for the U.S. troop presence in South Korea and possibly move to reduce it as Washington shifts more focus on China.
Published at: 2025-08-13 21:41:15
Still want to read the full version? Full article
