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.
Yoon practices golf in case of possible round with Trump
President Yoon Suk Yeol swings a bat during a baseball class for children in Seoul, March 16. Courtesy of presidential office
By Anna J. Park
President Yoon Suk Yeol has recently picked up his golf clubs again in preparation for a possible future round with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, according to officials at the presidential office, Monday.
Yoon’s decision to practice golf again is a way to get ready for his upcoming interactions with Trump, a well-known and avid golfer, sources familiar with the issue told The Korea Times.
Yoon stated that he plans "to arrange a meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as soon as possible to build rapport and hold discussions," during an economic and security meeting held at the presidential office, Sunday. The remarks came as he shared some details of his recent phone conversation with the U.S. president-elect that took place last Thursday.
The Korean president is known to have been practicing golf at a location other than the official presidential residence, following advice to improve his golf skills in order to strengthen his rapport with Trump.
It is believed that this is the first time Yoon has picked up a golf club in several years. Back in 2019, Yoon told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing for the post of the country's prosecutor general that he used to play golf occasionally in his early career as a prosecutor. But he added that he had hardly played since 2010 when he became the head of the second investigative division at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.
President-elect Donald Trump greets supporters during the final round of the Bedminster Invitational LIV Golf tournament in Bedminster, N.J., Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023. AP-Yonhap
Yoon's decision to resume practicing his golf swing seems to have been inspired by the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who developed a close personal relationship and mutual trust with Trump through several rounds of golf during the U.S. president's first term.
Abe played his first official round of golf with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in February 2017, shortly after Trump's inauguration as the U.S. president in late January. They were also seen enjoying golf together later in their state visits to each other's country, showing Trump's trait of mixing official business with golf playing.
Trump's love for golf went on, after his first presidential term ended in January 2021.
At the televised presidential debate against U.S. President Joe Biden in June this year, Trump boasted that his health is in very good condition, citing his recent wins of two championships at one of his golf courses.
“To do that, you have to be quite smart and you have to be able to hit the ball a long way,” Trump said.