U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to the White House on Monday to discuss trade and defense in response to growing North Korean threats, according to Lee's office.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump criticized South Korea's instability and seemingly questioned the U.S. doing business in the country, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
"WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA? Seems like a Purge or Revolution. We can’t have that and do business there," the president wrote on Truth Social.
While signing executive orders in the Oval Office, he said he was referring to raids on churches and a U.S. military base by the new South Korean government.
“I heard bad things,” Trump told reporters. “I don't know if it's true or not. I'll be finding out.”
Lee won the election in June after his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, was ousted for declaring martial law. Lee vowed to make the economy his top priority as well as bolster a trilateral partnership with the U.S. and Japan.
The meeting with Trump will follow a July trade deal in which Trump cut reciprocal tariffs on the country to 15% from the initial 25%.
"The Deal is that South Korea will give to the United States $350 Billion Dollars for Investments owned and controlled by the United States, and selected by myself, as President," Trump wrote on Truth Social about the deal. "Additionally, South Korea will purchase $100 Billion Dollars of LNG, or other Energy products and, further, South Korea has agreed to invest a large sum of money for their Investment purposes."
Lee’s office said in announcing the visit that the two leaders plan to discuss cooperating on key manufacturing sectors such as semiconductors, batteries and shipbuilding. The latter has been a particular area of focus for Trump.
On defense, one potential topic is the continued presence of U.S. troops in South Korea and concerns in Seoul that the U.S. will seek higher payments in return.
News.Az
