South Korea faces challenges from US President Trump on multiple fronts
Donald Trump, who took office as the United States’ 47th president on Monday, declared that the “golden age of America begins,” while pledging to “put America first,” in a troubling signal that his policies will center upon maximizing US benefits with little regard for -- or at the expense of -- the interests of other countries, including close allies like South Korea.
Trump, 78, also signaled that the US will refrain from military involvement in foreign conflicts by stressing that his legacy will be that of a “peacemaker and unifier,” a stance that has the potential to spur rogue regimes like North Korea to make wrong assumptions and opt for rash provocations in the absence of a major balancing force against regional conflicts in the world.
It is now widely expected that Trump, touting his “America First” agenda, will put pressure on allies to shoulder greater security costs and overhaul tariff systems to address US trade deficits. “Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens,” Trump said during his inauguration ceremony, which marked his second four-year term.
As such, the second Trump term will pose greater challenges especially in security and trade for South Korea, at a critical moment when impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol remains detained over his short-lived imposition of martial law that sparked an unprecedented period of political turmoil and economic uncertainty.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Tuesday expressed optimism when he congratulated Trump on his return to the White House on social media: “The Republic of Korea looks forward to Making the Alliance Great Again in the 47th presidency, as we have during the 45th.” Choi’s message refers to Trump’s trademark political slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
But it seems unlikely for Choi to pull off his version of MAGA in consideration of Trump’s past and recent actions. A striking point of evidence is that Trump described North Korea as a “nuclear power” at the Oval Office after he was sworn in as the US president on Monday. Referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Trump told reporters that Kim is “a nuclear power,” while bragging about their “friendly” relationship.
Media outlets in South Korea expressed worry about Trump’s comment, since US officials have long refused to use the term that could be seen as Washington’s recognition of Pyongyang’s nuclear program.
Although it remains unclear what Trump meant in his reference to North Korea as a nuclear power, his troubling comment -- not so surprising given his penchant for false and misleading statements -- showcased what could play out regarding critical and sensitive security issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
It seems also inevitable that South Korea will face tough negotiations with the US over the sharing of security costs involving US troops stationed here.
Meanwhile, Trump has not hidden his intent to expand the US territory, deepening concerns among allies. He argued that the US needs Greenland for national security and it also needs the Panama Canal to halt the overcharging of American ships and to combat Chinese influence. Trump declared the US will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
On the trade front, Trump proposed slapping blanket tariffs of 10 to 20 percent on all imports and threatened to impose tariffs of up to 60 percent on Chinese goods during his election campaign. But Trump did not move to enforce heavy tariffs right away. Instead, he issued an executive order asking US federal agencies to begin an investigation into trade practices, including trade deficit.
South Korea, which has continued to record a trade surplus with the US in recent years, is expected to suffer greater impact from Trump’s new tariff policy when it is implemented.
Trump has vowed to open the “golden age of America,” but how it pans out remains unpredictable. What is certain is that South Korea must brace for more tough challenges ahead as Trump renews his vow to “put America first.”
