How the Latest Trump-Lee Conversation Could Shape Korea’s Future: Insights and Implications

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President Lee Jae-myung spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump on the night of the 17th. They discussed the outcomes of the recent U.S.-China summit, security on the Korean Peninsula, and other bilateral issues. The two leaders had not communicated directly since their meeting at last October’s APEC summit in Gyeongju, roughly seven months earlier.

Kang Yoo-jung, the Blue House senior spokesperson, said in a written briefing that President Lee called President Trump at 10 p.m. and spoke for about 30 minutes. Seoul requested the call to receive a briefing on the results of the U.S.-China summit held in Beijing on the 14th.

According to the Blue House, President Trump shared the summit’s outcomes with U.S. ally South Korea. The two presidents exchanged views on advancing peace on the Korean Peninsula and on practical measures to ensure the smooth implementation of the Joint Fact Sheet (JFS) agreed last year.

This was the second phone call between the South Korean and U.S. presidents, taking place 345 days after their initial exchange on June 6 last year, shortly after President Lee’s inauguration. President Trump has been contacting allied leaders in rapid succession since the U.S.-China summit; on the 15th he spoke for about 15 minutes with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to explain the results of his China visit.

Diplomats say it is likely President Trump not only reviewed his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping but also outlined a broader China policy direction developed during the trip. Observers expect the conversation covered topics such as the possibility of a U.S.-North Korea summit, steps to advance denuclearization on the peninsula, and the potential role China could play in that process.

The leaders may also have exchanged views on major diplomatic issues including Taiwan, the war in the Middle East, and security in the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts say sensitive bilateral items likely discussed include the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), strategic flexibility for U.S. forces stationed in Korea, follow-up measures on tariff negotiations, development of nuclear-powered submarines, and talks on a Korea-U.S. currency swap.

Wi Seong-rak, director of the Blue House National Security Office, told KBS’s “Sunday Diagnosis” that military consultations on the OPCON transfer are ongoing and that there are no significant differences in conditions or timing. He emphasized that the matter is fundamentally a political decision.

Wi said officials will draft a roadmap for the OPCON transfer in the second half of this year and, after completing verification of Full Operational Capability (FOC), recommend a timing for the transfer. He added that negotiations to find a compromise between Seoul and Washington will then intensify.

On the strategic flexibility of U.S. forces in Korea, he said the United States will exercise flexibility within bounds that respect South Korea and that measures can be calibrated to avoid entanglement in unwanted conflicts.

Regarding the recent controversy over Korea-U.S. intelligence sharing, Wi acknowledged there has been some impact but said the issue will be resolved. He noted that behind-the-scenes consultations are underway and have made some progress. He also said officials are working to bring uranium enrichment and reprocessing, as well as nuclear submarine issues, into substantive discussion and pledged to report positive developments soon.

On North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities, Wi acknowledged that Pyongyang has attained a level capable of reaching the United States and said the U.S. regards this as a significant threat. Concerning North Korea’s “two-state” rhetoric, he stressed that although Pyongyang has adopted a stance negative toward reunification, Seoul will continue efforts to resume inter-Korean exchanges and to pursue denuclearization.

Reporter Jo Jin-su rokmc4390@kukinews.com