Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Expectations rise for summer summit between leaders of Korea, US
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche listen in the Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., Friday. REUTERS-Yonhap
By Anna J. Park
Presidential office remains cautious, while media reports expect late July as likely date
Hopes are growing that the first summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump could take place in late July or August, as diplomatic coordination between the two allies continues.
According to local media reports, Seoul and Washington are actively coordinating plans for Lee’s possible visit to the United States, potentially as early as the week of July 21.
If confirmed, the meeting would be the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since Lee took office in early June. The summit is expected to focus on tariff negotiations, increasing South Korea’s defense burden-sharing and other pressing issues.
President Lee Jae Myung speaks on the phone with U.S. President Trump at his office in Seoul, June 6. Yonhap
Anticipation is growing for the bilateral meeting between the two leaders, which has so far eluded them despite past multilateral gatherings — including last month’s G7 summit in Canada. Reports that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio may make a brief visit to Seoul in early July have fueled speculation. Rubio is expected to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum in Malaysia before potentially stopping in Seoul.
There also appears to be a mutual understanding between the two administrations that an in-person summit should be arranged without delay. During their first phone call on June 6, Lee and Trump agreed on the need to hold a summit "at the earliest possible date."
That sentiment was echoed by Joseph Yun, the U.S. charge d’affaires to Korea, who said during a luncheon at the National Assembly last Friday that "a summit in Washington with President Lee is expected to take place soon."
Some point out that the timing of the potential summit may also align with ongoing tariff negotiations.
The U.S. government, which announced "reciprocal" tariff measures on April 2, has postponed implementation until July 8 and is currently negotiating with multiple countries, including Korea. The prospect of finalizing these talks during a high-level summit has further fueled speculation around the Korean leader’s upcoming U.S. visit.
With the U.S. Congress scheduled to recess in August, there is added pressure to arrange Lee’s visit to Washington beforehand, offering a rare chance to engage with a wider circle of policymakers and legislators.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
However, the Korean presidential office remains cautious, stressing that no official schedule has been confirmed.
"While there is consensus on the need for a summit between the two countries, specific dates are still being coordinated,” Kang Yu-jung, spokesperson for the presidential office, told reporters during a press briefing earlier this week.
"We are aware that late July is being circulated in the media, but we have not released that date. If and when details are finalized, they will be officially shared with the press," the spokesperson added.