Seoul (Parliament Politics Magazine) – South Korean President Lee Jae-myung praised US President Donald Trump and said he hopes Washington can restart stalled dialogue with North Korea.
As reported by Reuters, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said he found his recent talks with Donald Trump “interesting and entertaining,” adding he believes President Trump can help reopen dialogue with North Korea.
Since entering office in June, Mr Lee has held two summits with Mr. Trump and secured a trade agreement delivering a $350 billion U.S. investment package after months of negotiations.
What did Lee Jae-myung say about Donald Trump and North Korea talks?
In an effort to strengthen ties with South Korea’s key ally, Lee Jae-myung praised Donald Trump as a “peacemaker” on North Korea and presented him with a replica gold crown during his visit.
During a press briefing with international media on Wednesday to mark the martial law crisis anniversary, he said,
“I found my conversations with President Trump quite interesting and entertaining. Perhaps I felt a sense of kinship.”
President Lee described Mr Trump as
“a realist, pragmatist, and master of dealmaking who respects his counterparts.”
He expressed hope that President Trump could encourage North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to resume talks, noting that Pyongyang takes Washington more seriously than Seoul to maintain its leadership.
Commenting on the regional bloc meeting that South Korea hosted last month, President Lee said,
“During the recent APEC meeting, U.S. President Trump wanted and hoped to meet Chairman Kim Jong Un but that did not work out.”
He added,
“But circumstances are always changing, so we will do our best to create environments that allow for communication.”
President Trump and Kim Jong Un held summits in 2018 and 2019, but discussions stalled over disagreements on North Korea’s nuclear weapons.
How did Lee Jae-myung describe his first meeting with Xi Jinping?
Lee Jae-myung, who advocates “pragmatic diplomacy,” spoke positively about his meeting last month with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Reflecting on his first summit with President Xi, he said,
“My meeting with President Xi Jinping was very interesting. He was surprisingly good at making jokes.”
During their meeting, Xi presented two Xiaomi smartphones to President Lee. When Lee jokingly asked about their security, Xi replied, “See if there’s a backdoor,” prompting laughter in the room.
On Wednesday, President Lee told reporters that maintaining stable ties with China is crucial, and he hopes to hold another summit with President Xi in Beijing soon.
When did Donald Trump and Lee Jae-myung hold their summit?
Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung first met on August 25, 2025, for a summit in Washington, D.C. They held a subsequent bilateral meeting on October 29, 2025, in Gyeongju, South Korea, ahead of the APEC Summit.
Both leaders covered the US-South Korea alliance, trade, defense, and North Korea issues across both encounters. They reaffirmed their commitment to extended deterrence against North Korea, including enhanced missile defense cooperation.
President Lee and Mr Trump also agreed to expand economic ties through new trade initiatives and supply chain resilience measures. They also issued a joint statement on advancing trilateral US-Japan-South Korea coordination for regional stability.
What happened during the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis?
The 2024 South Korean martial law crisis began on December 3 when President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a state of emergency, citing anti-state threats. However, it was lifted hours later after the National Assembly opposition.
Yoon faced impeachment, arrest, and removal from office in 2025, marking the first such case for a sitting president over this event.
On its December 3, 2025, anniversary, President Lee Jae-myung delivered a special address on restoring democracy, joined by protests and commemorative events.