TRUMP’S OUTREACH TESTS ALLIANCE
Trump’s olive branch to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un last week, coupled with his criticism of Seoul, has raised concern among analysts that Trump’s unpredictability could strain alliances that have long maintained peace in Asia.
Cho said last week that Trump’s order to curb the military drills appeared aimed in part at pressuring Seoul to support US efforts in the Iran war, alongside other unresolved issues such as investment.
He said one potential source of friction could be South Korea’s pledge to invest US$350 billion in the United States under a trade deal signed last year.
Seoul has yet to announce details of the investment plan, although Cho said Washington had sent Seoul a proposal outlining projects that could be considered.
Yonhap cited the ministry statement as saying that the two sides agreed to work toward “mutually beneficial” outcomes on various pending issues, including tariffs, investment and security cooperation.
It said Cho underscored the Seoul government’s commitment to making substantive contributions to help restore free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while noting the active leadership of Trump and the US in addressing the Middle East issue.
It said Cho and Rubio agreed to meet in the near future to have in-depth discussions on key pending issues.
