Rep. Wi Sung-lac of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

An opposition lawmaker urged the United States to grant Seoul a "grace period" in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" policies, emphasizing that South Korea is currently facing one of the most turbulent periods of political upheaval in its history.

In an interview with The Korea Times on Tuesday, Rep. Wi Sung-lac of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) discussed his recent trip to Washington, where he attended the 2025 Trans-Pacific Dialogue hosted by the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies.

"At a trilateral meeting with U.S. and Japanese officials, I addressed South Korea's domestic situation and requested a grace period in light of our current transitional phase," the diplomat-turned-lawmaker said. "Even if the U.S. seeks to implement measures under its 'America First' policy, it should allow South Korea some leeway since our government is not yet fully stable."

However, he expressed skepticism about whether the Trump administration would heed such requests, stating, "The best outcome for South Korea's diplomacy is for this political turmoil to end as soon as possible."

Wi's remarks come as officials in Seoul struggle to respond to Trump's sweeping tariffs and trade policies amid President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment crisis.

Yoon is currently undergoing an impeachment trial over his martial law fiasco in December, with a ruling expected by March. If the impeachment is upheld, a presidential election will be held within 60 days. If dismissed, Yoon will immediately return to office.

Wi warned that South Korea is losing critical time in its diplomatic engagement with its key ally, the U.S. Before entering politics, Wi was a career diplomat, having served as South Korea's ambassador to Russia and the chief negotiator for the six-party talks on North Korea's denuclearization.

The lawmaker noted that direct engagement between acting President Choi Sang-mok, who also serves as finance minister, and Trump seems unlikely. Choi has sought to arrange a phone call with the U.S. president since the latter's inauguration on Jan. 20, but the conversation has yet to take place.

"It's not just a matter of diplomatic protocol," Wi said. "The acting leadership lacks its own dedicated diplomatic and security team to coordinate government policies during this critical period. They need to appoint experts, bring in additional personnel and establish a team capable of handling security policies effectively."

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, Wednesday. UPI-Yonhap

Commenting on Trump's foreign policies, Wi emphasized that South Korea should approach trade and security as a comprehensive package rather than address each issue separately.

"When engaging with U.S. officials, agendas should be structured as a package deal. Rather than negotiating tariffs in isolation, we should take a broader approach that integrates economic and security issues to maximize leverage."

He also stressed the importance of networking beyond federal officials, saying, "We need to engage with governors, state legislators and local economic groups in the U.S. that share mutual interests with us."

US interest in main opposition leader

Wi noted that U.S. officials are showing a growing interest in Rep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the DPK, a leading presidential contender within the opposition bloc. Recent polls suggest that Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, could be a strong candidate if a snap election is held.

Little is known about Lee's foreign policy vision due to his relatively short experience in central politics, while his opponents accuse him of being "pro-China" and "anti-U.S."

Wi described the DPK leader's diplomatic approach as "more pragmatic and less ideological" than that of previous liberal party leaders.

"There is a misconception within U.S. circles that the DPK's diplomatic positions are ideological and relatively pro-China. But that is not the case with our current leadership," the lawmaker said.

According to Wi, the DPK leader views the U.S as a key ally and recognizes the importance of solidifying the South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral alliance while advocating for a pragmatic approach in managing relations with China and Russia — particularly in addressing North Korean nuclear threats.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker called for diplomatic efforts to successfully host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, this November. Speculations are rising that the multinational gathering could bring together Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"Trump's attendance is something we should ensure happens," Wi said. "During his first term, he did not attend all APEC summits, but he did participate in the first one."

Regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's potential participation, the lawmaker replied, "If Putin were to attend, it would be quite unprecedented. If a ceasefire (with Ukraine) occurs and Russia's relations with other countries are somewhat restored, his participation could become possible."

Russia is an APEC member, but Putin has either skipped or been excluded from the annual summit since Moscow's invasion of Kyiv in 2022.