The countries’ decades-old alliance strains to confront rapid geopolitical changes.
South Korea’s economy relies heavily on the United States, and Washington underwrites the country’s security with troops and nuclear deterrence.
South Korea has long come under targeted criticism from Trump, who has called it a “money machine” that takes advantage of American military protection.
Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies stated, “For Lee, a no-news summit I think would be good.”
Under heavy pressure from Trump’s administration, South Korean negotiators secured a last-minute deal last month to avoid the harshest of tariffs but must still hammer out details of billions of dollars in promised investments.
Lee’s top policy aide Kim Yong-beom said on Wednesday, “There are many major topics in the security field.”
“We hope that specific implementation plans for trade won’t be included in the summit at all, or at least should be kept simple if discussed.”
Lee, who arrived in Washington on Sunday, will highlight some of South Korea’s expected investments when he visits a shipyard in Philadelphia owned by the country’s Hanwha Group after the summit.
Trump is expected to pressure Lee to commit to more spending on defense, including potentially billions of dollars more toward the upkeep of 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea.
Wi added that the government was also looking into a plan for the purchase of American weapons.
While focusing on increasing military spending, Lee will likely seek to avoid conversations about a potential reduction of US troops or using them for a wider range of operations, or details on modernizing the alliance, she said.
“Ambition could backfire.”
Trump and Lee may also discuss efforts to persuade North Korea to freeze and eventually abandon its nuclear weapons programme.
But North Korea has rejected both American and South Korean overtures so far, and said it will never give up its nuclear arsenal.
Before Lee meets Trump, the South Korean leader travelled to Tokyo to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday to underscore the importance of cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the US.
Lee and Ishiba discussed relations with Washington and US tariff issues and the Japanese leader shared his experience with Trump, which for Seoul was useful information before Lee’s first meeting with Trump, said Wi, the South Korean security adviser. – Reuters
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