U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Tuesday (local time). AP-Yonhap
With U.S. President Donald Trump reshaping the traditional framework of international summit talks and inter-state negotiations, the Korean government is urged to develop its own strategic approach to securing favorable deals with the U.S.
Political and security experts recommend that Korea adopt a comprehensive vision of its national interests when engaging in negotiations with the U.S., rather than approaching each issue as a separate small-scale deal. By doing so, Korea can maximize its position and achieve the best possible outcomes, they say.
"If South Korea and the U.S. discuss each issue separately — security for security, economy for economy — there is a greater risk of unfavorable outcomes in individual deals. Instead, a more strategic approach would be to bundle security, economic and other key issues together in negotiations," Lee Sang-kyu, chief of the nuclear strategy and security research division at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), told The Korea Times Thursday.
"To achieve this, centralized coordination and a control tower is essential, ensuring effective oversight and facilitating inter-ministerial adjustments to balance losses and gains."
The comments came as Trump increased pressure on South Korea in trade and security areas in his speech at Congress earlier this week. He threatened to impose high tariffs on imports from Korea and block subsidies to Korean chipmakers, and also hinted at plans to demand Seoul pay more for the stationing of U.S. forces here. But at the same time, he suggested Korea's participation in a natural gas development project in Alaska and partnership in the shipbuilding sector.
Lee pointed out that it is challenging for the Korean presidential office to fulfill this coordinating role as President Yoon Suk Yeol is suspended after the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion in December. Nevertheless, the analyst emphasized it is crucial for those in charge to adopt a comprehensive approach and engage with the U.S. from a broader strategic perspective.
His perspective aligns with that of Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification. Hong underscored the importance of clearly understanding South Korea's key strategic merits from the perspective of U.S. national interests, while maintaining a balanced approach across diplomacy, security and trade.
"Trump's rhetoric is designed to shock and create fear, allowing him to gain the upper hand in negotiations and secure his desired outcomes," Hong said. "While delivering factual information at the working level between the two countries is fundamental, the most critical factor is for top political leadership to make sophisticated strategic decisions. If leaders establish a clear framework and direction for negotiations, working-level officials can fully commit to achieving results based on facts and strategy. However, without decisive policy guidance from the top, Korea's negotiating position will inevitably become defensive, rather than proactively strategic."
'No need to fear Trump's political rhetoric'
An official from the presidential office said on condition of anonymity that there is no need for excessive concern over Trump's frequent use of inaccurate information, such as the tariff levels on South Korea mentioned in his speech. Trump had claimed Korea's average tariff is four times higher than that of the U.S., which the Korean government immediately denied. The official emphasized the importance of distinguishing between the president's political rhetoric and the substance of top working-level discussions.
"The U.S. president's political rhetoric is vastly different from the substantive discussions held with top policymakers and senior officials. At that level, negotiations are grounded in facts and mutual trust, not false claims. Psychological tactics and bluffing strategies are often used to set the tone, so there's no need for undue concern," the official said, emphasizing that the key priority is fostering long-term trust between the two countries.
Political pundits agree that instead of getting caught up in Trump's emotionally charged rhetoric, Korea should concentrate on leveraging its key advantages in negotiations.
"Industries such as shipbuilding and the Alaska gas pipeline are areas where the U.S. seeks cooperation, and it is necessary to leverage them as Korea's valuable bargaining chips. The focus should be on positioning Korea as a strategic partner rather than a target for unilateral pressure. To achieve this, leadership must provide a clear and comprehensive strategic direction, reinforcing Korea's role as a key collaborator," Hong said.
The researcher noted that he viewed Trump's congressional speech as relatively moderate toward Korea: "While some facts were exaggerated, Trump also emphasized areas of cooperation with Korea, which seems to provide us with leverage in negotiations."
Regarding Korea's role in potential Washington-Pyongyang nuclear talks, Lee stressed the importance of ensuring that Seoul is not sidelined in the negotiation process.
"Topics such as the reduction of U.S. forces in South Korea or joint military exercises could emerge during discussions, raising security concerns for South Koreans. It is crucial to ensure that reversible and irreversible measures exchanged at the table are balanced. For example, we should not accept reversible measures from North Korea, such as a freeze on nuclear weapons, while receiving irreversible measures like a reduction in U.S. forces in the South," Lee explained.
"Similarly, in the U.S.-South Korea defense cost-sharing negotiations, there are limits to what Korea can concede financially. Therefore, beyond clarifying that Korea is not free-riding on security, the discussions should also explore other contributions Korea can make. By strengthening security stability through joint efforts, Korea's contributions can be seen as increasingly valuable."