U.S. President Donald Trump will host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Washington on Monday for their first summit, weeks after the two countries struck a trade deal lowering U.S. tariffs on South Korean goods from 25% to 15%.
While trade cooperation is expected to feature prominently, the talks will also focus on redefining the decades-old military alliance and future investment commitments. Trump has already signaled more South Korean investment announcements, building on the $350 billion package unveiled last month, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
A central topic will be the cost of hosting U.S. forces in South Korea. Around 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed there to deter North Korea, but Trump has repeatedly accused Seoul of “free-riding” on American military power.
South Korea recently agreed to an 8.3% increase in its annual contribution, raising payments to 1.52 trillion won ($1.09 billion) starting in 2026. However, Washington is pushing allies to spend up to 5% of GDP on defense — far above Seoul’s current level of 2.3%.
Officials in both capitals have stressed the need to “modernise” the alliance, which could include South Korea taking on a greater role beyond the Korean Peninsula. Analysts say discussions may touch on shifting U.S. troop responsibilities to include deterring China and managing Taiwan Strait tensions.
This remains sensitive for Seoul, as President Lee has emphasized balancing strong ties with Washington while maintaining stable relations with Beijing. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has denied any talks about redeploying U.S. forces in a Taiwan emergency.
On North Korea, both leaders are expected to reaffirm their shared goal of dismantling Pyongyang’s nuclear program. President Lee has sought to ease tensions since taking office, while Trump continues to highlight his earlier summits with Kim Jong Un.
Experts suggest the summit could produce a joint message to Pyongyang, signaling openness to renewed dialogue. However, North Korea has so far rejected Lee’s peace gestures, including the dismantling of propaganda loudspeakers at the border.
