Trump Talks Trade & Tyrants With New South Korean President

President Donald Trump hosted South Korean President Moon Jae-in this week, holding discussions over a new free trade agreement between the two allies and the nuclear "menace" of North Korea.

In a joint press conference from the White House’s Rose Garden, Trump reiterated that he's bringing an end to the Obama administration’s policy of "strategic patience" towards North Korea:

"The era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed, many years that’s failed, and, frankly, that patience is over.”

That tough talk follows news that the Dept. of Defense has updated the military options. Those would be presented to the president if North Korea conducts a nuclear or ballistic missile test that shows the regime is progressing toward developing a weapon capable of reaching the U.S.

There are about 28,500 American military personnel stationed in South Korea, and the U.S. deployment of a missile defense system to the region has proven controversial, with President Moon delaying its full activation so that the country can carry out an environmental review.

Trump also called for the renegotiation of a trade agreement with South Korea that took effect in 2012, which has led the U.S. trade deficit with South Korea to grow from $13.2 billion in 2011 to $27.7 billion last year. Moon expressed a willingness to eliminate unfair trade practices and make other domestic reforms to increase competition during a speech at the Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, moves that would make renegotiation of the trade deal easier.

This won’t be the last bilateral meeting between Trump and Moon, with the South Korean president having extended an invitation to Trump and his wife, Melania, to visit South Korea later this year which was "graciously accepted."

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— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Ken Scar / Creative Commons)