Korea-US summit announced for Aug. 25

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump / Yonhap, EPA

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump will hold their first summit talks in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25, the presidential office announced Tuesday.

It will be Lee's first visit to the United States since taking office in early June, and the two leaders' first one-on-one, in-person meeting. The summit will also take place about a month after the two nations reached a deal on the U.S. tariff on Korean goods on July 31.

“President Lee Jae Myung will visit the United States from Aug. 24 to 26 at the invitation of President Donald Trump to attend the Korea-U.S. summit scheduled for Aug. 25,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said during a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul.

“This meeting will be the first face-to-face talks between the two leaders. They are expected to discuss ways to advance the Korea-U.S. alliance into a future-oriented comprehensive strategic partnership in response to the changing international security and economic environment,” the spokesperson added.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

She noted that Lee and Trump will also hold a working lunch together on the same day. As for the form of the trip, Kang said it would be an "official working visit." First lady Kim Hea Kyung will accompany the president.

Kang said that the two leaders will discuss measures to strengthen the robust combined defense posture of the alliance, as well as cooperation for building peace and achieving denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.

In addition, the two leaders are expected to explore ways to deepen bilateral economic cooperation, including in the sectors of semiconductors, batteries and shipbuilding, and to strengthen the economic security partnership in key advanced technologies.

It has been widely expected that Trump will demand Korea increase its defense spending during the summit and support its push for "alliance modernization," which could potentially mean a reduction of the 28,500 U.S. troops in Korea and their expanded role beyond deterring North Korea to better check China.

The two leaders are also expected to finalize the details of the recently concluded tariff negotiations, which include South Korea’s planned $350 billion plus alpha investment in the U.S. They are also set to discuss “MASGA” — Make American Shipbuilding Great Again — a joint shipbuilding initiative named by the Korean government, with $150 billion allocated to the program.

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Lee may visit one of the U.S. shipbuilding sites Korean companies have invested in during this visit. Kang did not rule out the possibility, saying, “I’m not sure if I can speak about it at this stage, as it is part of the detailed itinerary, but I will only say that it would be possible.”

The presidential office said additional details of the trip will be disclosed at a later date.

Regarding whether business leaders from Korea will accompany the president, Kang said that specific arrangements have not yet been finalized but added that the office will announce details if and when confirmed.

Trump proposed the summit following the conclusion of tariff negotiations late last month. He announced at the time that Lee would visit the White House within two weeks. However, this was delayed during scheduling at a working level between the two sides.

Meanwhile, speculation has arisen that a summit between Lee and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba could occur either just before or after the Korea-U.S. summit. However, the presidential office clarified that no such meeting has been confirmed.