Lee Jae-myung says he is willing to 'crawl under Trump’s legs' if necessary for trade talks

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, waves to supporters from his vehicle after wrapping up his final campaign rally at Yeouido Park in Seoul on Monday, the day before the election. Yonhap

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, said Monday that the top priority for the next administration will be trade negotiations with the United States. He added that if necessary, he would "even crawl under [U.S. President Donald Trump’s] legs."

Speaking on CBS Radio’s “Park Jae-hong’s Hanpan Seungbu” program on the eve of Tuesday's presidential election, Lee said, "Overcoming people's hardships and recovering from the current turmoil is a given, but the most important issue beyond that is trade with the United States."

He added, "Everything is made by people, and everything can be solved by people. In the end, it’s about compromise and adjustment in a way that benefits both sides."

Lee outlined his approach to trade talks with the Trump administration, should he be elected. "Diplomacy is not about one side taking all the gains or bearing all the losses — that’s what you do when you pay tribute under duress, not in diplomacy," he said. When the host remarked that "Trump is not an easy man," Lee responded, "I am not easy either," indicating that he would not simply accept the demands of the Trump administration.

"Diplomacy between independent countries can be mutually beneficial," Lee said. "We have plenty of cards to play. There’s room to give and take, and that’s what we must do well."

However, Lee also suggested that he would be willing to set aside personal pride if necessary. Referring to Trump’s tough negotiation tactics, Lee said, "That’s just the way powerful countries operate, and we must overcome it. Any humiliation or pressure is not about me personally — it’s about the entire nation. If it’s necessary, I’ll crawl under [Trump’s] legs. What’s the big deal?"

Lee added, "An hour of the president’s time is worth 52 million hours of the Korean people’s time. If the president has to bend briefly so that 52 million people can stand tall, then that’s what must be done."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.