Name: How South Korea’s New President Could Reshape Ties with the U.S. | WSJ News
Uploaded: 2025-06-04T03:32:41.000Z
Duration: 2 min 55 s
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South Korea has elected a new president, I Jae-myung, in a snap election, ending months of political turmoil.

His critics have called him Korea's Trump, owing to his criminal trials, his large social media following, and his divisiveness.

Lee's victory gives South Korea an elected leader for the first time in months.

And it could signal a change in the way that Soul looks at Washington and approaches trade talks with Trump.

Lee is head of the opposition Democratic Party, and he led the call to impeach former President Yoon Seok-youl over martial law.

Like Trump, Lee has survived an assassination attempt.

A politically motivated assailant stabbed Lee in the neck, hoping to stop him from becoming president last year.

Since then, Lee has received multiple death threats.

And on the campaign trail, he not only wore a bulletproof vest, he delivered speeches, like Trump, behind bulletproof glass.

An unusual move from a South Korean politician.

Lee will not be as enraptured with the US as his predecessor.

Lee wants more balance across the region.

He does not want to antagonize China or Russia, and he has warned that South Korea should not overly rely on the US alliance.

When we interviewed Lee in December, he spoke very fondly of Trump and said he would be glad to meet him.

But while the two might have common points and get along in the room.

The two do have distinct policy differences.

Effective at midnight, we will impose a 25% tariff on all foreign made automobiles.

Lee's first priority with Trump will be on trade.

South Korea's export heavy economy has a lot of pain from the tariffs.

25% on cars, a proposed reciprocal tariff from Trump at 25%.

And aluminum and steel is expected to hit 50%.

Lee will be able to implement a long-term strategy for South Korea and hold talks, but he said he's a no rush.

If one of the top priorities for Lee and Trump is trade, another would be the military.

Trump, dating back to his first term in office, has demanded South Korea pay more for its troops.

Trump has called South Korea a money machine.

And that's a reference to the 28,500 military personnel in South Korea.

It's also home to America's largest overseas military base.

But the US is shifting how it's postured in the Indo-Pacific to combat China.

And that could mean changes to the forces in Korea.

Now that there is an elected president in South Korea, Trump could pressure Lee to pay more for the US troops stationed in the country.

Lee sees a South Korea with more self-direction, more agency.

And this comes as the disagreements with Washington are on the rise.

Lee and Trump do share a lot of common points about their political backstories, but we'll have to see if they can see eye to eye on their many differences.

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How South Korea’s New President Could Reshape Ties with the U.S. | WSJ News

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