U.S. President Donald Trump raises his fist as he steps out of Air Force One upon his arrival in West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday (local time). Reuters-Yonhap

An unprecedented shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, which analysts argue highlights the U.S. leader's tendency to abandon allies when he no longer perceives them as serving American interests, has raised concerns that South Korea might not be an exception.

The analysts noted that the contentious meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy underscores the need for South Korea to develop a comprehensive diplomatic leverage package to protect its national interests. They warned that under Trump, the United States is becoming an increasingly unpredictable ally.

During a tense, on-camera meeting at the White House on Friday (local time), Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of being ungrateful for U.S. military aid in its defense against Russia's three-year invasion and of rejecting their proposed peace negotiations.

The heated 10-minute exchange led to the abrupt cancellation of a planned rare minerals agreement and a joint press conference, marking an unprecedented breakdown in relations between the two sides.

"The breakdown of the meeting highlights a fundamental clash of interests. Trump's goal is to pressure Zelenskyy into ending the war quickly and halting U.S. assistance, while Zelenskyy also has to navigate political challenges at home," said Doo Jin-ho, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA).

"Through this meeting, Trump laid bare his intention to not tolerate what he perceives as 'free-riding' — even from allies who depend on U.S. support without contributing enough themselves," he added.

Doo suggested that South Korea should adopt a more pragmatic approach in its diplomacy with the U.S., strategically leveraging its options in response to Trump's transactional diplomacy, while reducing reliance on defense guarantees from the U.S.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday (local time). AFP-Yonhap

"As the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains the cornerstone for deterring North Korea's nuclear threats, maintaining its stability will likely require Seoul to meet certain U.S. demands, such as increasing investments in America," Doo said.

At the same time, he urged South Korea to diversify its security partnerships by strengthening cooperation with like-minded nations, including NATO members. It should also manage relations with neighboring countries such as China and Russia, both of which can play key roles in addressing North Korea's nuclear threats.

"But most importantly, South Korea must strengthen its own defense capabilities," Doo said. "In an era of growing unpredictability in geopolitics, the nation must enhance its ability to produce its own weapons and build military strength for modern warfare."

Lim Eul-chul, head of the research office at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies (IFES), suggested that the Trump-Zelenskyy shouting match may have been partially staged by the U.S. to publicly humiliate the Ukrainian leader and increase pressure on Kyiv.

"There's no guarantee that Trump, viewing diplomacy as transactional, won't treat South Korea the same way," Lim said.

With direct engagement between South Korean government officials and the U.S. administration limited due to the ongoing impeachment crisis in Seoul, Lim recommended that officials reach out to figures close to Trump or his administration to better understand the U.S. leader's specific expectations for South Korea.

"Since his inauguration, he has hinted at South Korea's shipbuilding, semiconductor and manufacturing industries as key areas of interest but has not specified on them. Understanding his priorities and making preemptive proposals encompassing the economy, trade and security will be critical."

An E-2 Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft and crew members are seen on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson at a naval base in Busan, Monday. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived in the southeastern port city the previous day, marking the first deployment of a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier under the second term of President Donald Trump, who took office, Jan. 20. Joint Press Corps

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Monday, Minister Ahn Duk-geun, who recently visited Washington, highlighted South Korea's potential as a key partner in the shipbuilding industry.

The ministry said Ahn received a positive response from U.S. officials to proposals that, should the U.S. place large orders for naval ships, tankers and icebreakers as a package, South Korean shipyards are ready to prioritize these orders.

However, a bigger challenge for Seoul in the security realm is navigating Trump's stance on North Korea's denuclearization.

"South Korea opposes being sidelined in potential Washington-Pyongyang talks, but realistically speaking, there is little reason for Trump to heed Seoul's demands to play a key role," Lim said. "Worse for South Korea, Trump could once again threaten to withdraw U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula as a bargaining chip to appeal to Kim Jong-un — as he did in past negotiations."

Lim pointed to South Korea's leadership vacuum as a major vulnerability.

"With no effective leadership, a divided National Assembly and split public opinion, South Korea's domestic instability puts it in a weak position for negotiations with any country, let alone the world's most powerful state," he said.