South Korea and U.S. intensify talks over Seoul's U.S. investment project
President Lee Jae Myung said South Korea and the United States are engaged in heated negotiations and consultations to align a Seoul-led investment initiative in America with both nations' interests.
During a Friday press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee Jae Myung explained that South Korea and the United States are currently locked in vigorous arguments and consultations over a Seoul-originated investment scheme in the United States, aiming to ensure mutual benefit. He said both sides have returned to negotiations on several contentious points, emphasizing the project's intricate and challenging nature. Lee referenced the previous year's tariff negotiations, noting the difficulty of incorporating "commercial rationality" as a guiding principle in the trade agreement pursued by Seoul.
He dismissed concerns that South Korea might be isolated in the process of setting up a potential summit between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, stressing Seoul's role in facilitating improved U.S.-North Korean ties. Lee added that renewed dialogue could also revive inter-Korean talks, while acknowledging uncertainty about whether the summit will actually occur.
Why it matters
The talks affect bilateral trade, regional security and the prospects of a U.S.-North Korea summit.
How this story developed
- Sep 8 Xi and Putin send congratulatory letters to Kim, pledging deeper ties on North Korea's anniversary
- Sep 10 President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message pledging deeper ties with North Korea.
- Sep 11 South Korea’s foreign minister and his Iranian counterpart held a telephone conversation to address tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Sep 11 President Lee Jae-myung announced that the Korea-Central Asia summit on the 16th will solidify multilateral cooperation and give new momentum to South Korea’s New Northern Policy.
- Sep 11 North Korea launched an unidentified projectile toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula, according to South Korean defence officials.
- Sep 12 South Korea held an emergency security meeting in response to the missile launch.
- Sep 13 North Korea staged a firepower strike drill featuring missiles and drones.
- Sep 15 EU official Cosmin Dobran warned the North Korea‑Russia partnership will likely outlast the Ukraine war.
- Sep 16 The Seoul Declaration formalizes a 30‑year agenda linking Central Asian mineral resources with South Korean AI and energy projects.
- Sep 17 Cho Hyun departed Seoul for Washington, moving the dialogue from phone calls to an in‑person meeting.
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