InterviewTrump's silence on Korea-US summit: What does it signal?

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio participate in a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC, July 8. EPA-Yonhap

U.S. President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement earlier this week of a 25 percent tariff on all products imported from South Korea has thrown the country into turmoil. It was, as a Korean saying goes, “a thunderbolt from a clear sky.”

Korea’s economy is heavily dependent on exports, which accounted for 44 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023. The U.S. is its second-largest trading partner. Last year alone, Korea exported goods worth $128 billion to the U.S., leaving Korean exporters deeply alarmed over the potentially devastating impact across-the-board tariffs could have on their businesses.

If the new levies take effect on Aug. 1 — separate from existing sector-specific tariffs, as Trump stated — the Korean economy could sink into a recession. Already showing signs of contraction, the country’s GDP shrank in the first quarter on a quarter-on-quarter basis. In May, the Bank of Korea slashed its 2025 growth forecast to 0.8 percent, down from its February projection of 1.5 percent.

For Korea, the next three weeks are critical. Trump indicated the U.S. government is open to discussions, and the targeted countries can propose alternative approaches. The presidential office has vowed to expedite efforts to hold a summit with the U.S. — ideally by late July — hoping to address the tariff issue through highest-level diplomatic talks and achieve a last-minute breakthrough.

“It’s good that we have three weeks to negotiate with the U.S.,” Chun In-bum, a retired Army general and former commander of South Korean special forces, said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “We’re in a better position than expected, as the initial assumption was that tariffs would be imposed immediately from July 9.”

Chun emphasized that retaliatory measures or any actions that could appear confrontational toward the U.S. would only harm Korea’s position. He urged the Lee Jae Myung administration to remain calm and concentrate on negotiating a more favorable deal.

“We can increase purchases of American products to help offset the U.S. trade deficit with South Korea,” Chun suggested. “We could also consider removing or easing certain domestic regulations that hinder U.S. companies from entering the Korean market.” He stressed the importance of continuous dialogue with U.S. counterparts to narrow differences between the two sides.

Despite Seoul’s efforts, however, there has been less progress than hoped for. Washington appears unenthusiastic about holding a Lee-Trump summit anytime soon.

More than a month has passed since President Lee’s inauguration, but no summit schedule has been confirmed. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, who returned to Seoul on Wednesday after a four-day trip to Washington, told reporters he had little to share regarding the proposed summit.

During his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Wi said he advocated for a summit at the earliest possible date to allow both sides to discuss and resolve various issues of mutual concern. According to Wi, Rubio expressed agreement, but acknowledged that no progress had been made toward setting a date.

Wi headed to Washington just one day before Trump posted his tariff letters targeting South Korea and other countries on social media.

Chun In-bum, a former special forces commander, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at its newsroom on Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Chun described the current state of Seoul-Washington relations as unusual, pointing to a series of recent developments that appear to be more than mere coincidence.

He referred to a string of atypical signals from Washington since Lee was sworn in as Korea’s new president on June 4.

While the White House acknowledged Korea’s free and fair election, it simultaneously expressed concern about “Chinese interference and influence in democracies” around the world. It is rare for the U.S. government to raise the issue of Chinese meddling in the context of South Korean elections, fueling speculation about Washington’s motives for using potentially inflamatory rhetoric. In another eyebrow-raising moment, Rubio abruptly canceled his planned visit to Korea just days before it was scheduled to happen — another sign that all may not be well in the alliance.

Adding to these concerns, Wi returned from his trip to Washington empty-handed, deepening speculation that bilateral relations may be deteriorating under the Lee administration.

“All of this seems too coordinated to be purely coincidental,” Chun said.

He acknowledged that there could be other plausible explanations for Trump’s silence on the proposed Seoul-Washington summit. “President Trump has a lot on his plate,” Chun said. “There are wars in Europe and the Middle East, the U.S. budget is under debate, and he’s also dealing with domestic crises such as floods in Texas and other natural disasters.”

Still, Chun suggested that the lack of progress on a Lee-Trump summit might also be part of a calculated delay tactic by Trump to extract more concessions from Korea.

“President Trump is known as a master negotiator and dealmaker,” Chun said. “He instinctively knows that Korea needs this deal. He holds all the cards. Maybe he’s intentionally taking his time, making us nervous as the Aug. 1 deadline approaches. It’s a classic Trump strategy.”

Regardless of the underlying reasons for the delay, Chun emphasized that the Lee administration must sharpen its messaging regarding the Korea-U.S. alliance and its stance toward China.

“We need to be very deliberate in how we signal our priorities to the U.S.,” he said. “Trust and rapport between President Lee and President Trump must be built. The administration must clearly articulate the values it stands for and aims to promote.”

As Korea scrambles to find every possible way to cushion the blow of the newly announced U.S. tariffs, Trump has suggested that defense cost-sharing could serve as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with the U.S.

“South Korea is making a lot of money, and they’re very good — very good — but you know, they should be paying for their own military,” Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday. “I said to South Korea … you know, we give you free military, essentially very little.”

Recalling past discussions with unnamed Korean officials during his first term, Trump said he had once demanded that Korea pay $10 billion annually for U.S. military support.

His remarks came just one day after he sent formal letters to 14 countries — including Korea — informing them of the tariff rates that will apply to all goods imported into the U.S. from their countries.

“I acknowledge the valuable role that American troops have played on the Korean Peninsula,” Chun said. “And I fully agree with Mr. Trump’s point that Korea should take more responsibility for its own defense. The U.S. Forces Korea are invaluable. Currently, we’re covering approximately 50 percent of the agreed stationing costs, and I believe Korea can do more.”

However, Chun cautioned against the idea of linking trade negotiations with defense cost-sharing.

“As a former military person, I have to ask: How much is my comrade-in-arms worth? One billion dollars? Ten billion?” he said. “We shouldn’t try to put a price tag on a soldier’s life. That’s a line of reasoning that must be handled with extreme care.”

Chun In-bum, former Korean special forces commander, looks pensive during an interview with The Korea Times on Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul