ED Rhetoric that strains Korea-US ties

Rep. Jin Sung-joon, left, head of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's policy committee, speaks during a meeting with senior party officials at the National Assembly in Seoul, July 8. Yonhap

Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for his recent remarks regarding Korea’s defense cost-sharing.

Jin, who serves as head of the DPK's policy committee, called Trump’s demand that Korea pay $10 billion to shoulder more of the cost for U.S. troops stationed on the peninsula “excessive and rude,” accusing the U.S. president of disrespecting a key ally.

“Let me set the record straight,” Jin said during a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly on July 10. “President Trump claimed that the U.S. provides military protection to Korea for free. That’s simply not true. Korea pays more than 1 trillion won each year for the U.S. military presence.” Jin also stated that Trump had said there are 45,000 U.S. troops in Korea, and gave the more accurate number of 28,000.

Jin further argued that the U.S. military is using Korean territory at no cost and noted that Korea has purchased advanced American weapons — expenses that, he said, should also be considered part of the nation’s contributions to its own defense.

While Jin raised some valid points, the tone and manner in which he delivered them were inappropriate and potentially damaging. His sharp criticism of Trump could undermine the Lee Jae Myung administration’s efforts to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance.

As one of the top three officials in the ruling party — alongside the chairperson and the secretary general — Jin wields significant influence over party messaging. His words carry particular weight when spoken at a public event, such as the policy coordination meeting, which was open to the media. Consequently, his remarks are likely to be interpreted not as personal opinion, but as the official position of the ruling party.

Jin is a politician, and politicians are often more direct and outspoken than diplomats, who choose their words more carefully to allow for multiple interpretations depending on the context. Clear and effective communication is a critical asset for politicians, and they must ensure their messages are understood without ambiguity.

Still, when it comes to commenting on foreign leaders — especially those from countries as crucial as the United States — politicians must exercise restraint and discretion. In democratic societies, criticism of political figures, even foreign heads of state, is allowed. But when such criticism comes from someone in a position to represent a nation's ruling party, it inevitably carries broader diplomatic implications. The public is likely to perceive those remarks as an official party stance, not just a personal opinion.

How does it reflect on Korea when a senior figure from its ruling party openly criticizes the U.S. president — and even attempts to correct him by quoting past inaccurate remarks? What message does such a scathing comment send at a time when bilateral ties between the two countries are showing signs of strain, if not fracture?

The answer is clear: Inflammatory rhetoric like this does little to help Seoul’s efforts to restore the Korea-U.S. alliance to a stable footing.

Securing a summit with Trump is one of Lee’s top diplomatic priorities. Yet, more than a month after his inauguration, no date has been set. This prolonged delay is raising concerns about the current state of the alliance. Speculations were fueled by the last-minute cancellation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s planned visit to Korea. He had been scheduled to stop in Seoul en route to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

On Friday, Rubio expressed optimism about a potential Trump-Xi Jinping summit later this year, saying the odds were high because “both sides want to see it happen.” However, he made no mention of a possible summit with Lee — an omission that speaks volumes.

The delay in holding a Korea-U.S. summit risks weakening Lee’s summit diplomacy. Traditionally, it has been diplomatic custom for Korean presidents to meet with the U.S. president before engaging in summits with other foreign leaders. In today’s foreign policy landscape, summit diplomacy plays an increasingly vital role in advancing national interests. That’s why the Lee administration must make an all-out effort to secure a meeting with Trump as soon as possible.

As the ruling party, the DPK should be supporting this objective — especially through parliamentary diplomacy. Instead, Rep. Jin’s inflammatory remarks risk undercutting the administration’s efforts. While his comments may win attention at home, they serve only to complicate diplomatic engagement at a critical juncture.