36 Donald Trump and South Korea SouthKorea is ina partial stalemate. President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the National Assembly in December 2024, but the final decision on his political fate depends on the Constitutional Court of Korea. It might take a few months for the court to decide if the impeachment is final or if President Yoon can return to office. During those months, the political system of the Republic of Korea will be preoccupied with a lack of presidential leadership. Notwithstanding the domestic political crisis, Seoul is concerned about the economic policy implications of Donald Trump’s second term. It is trying to understand what his industrial policies are likely to be and what South Korea should do to cope with the changes. Will a new trade war between Washington and Beijing erupt again, as occurred during Trump’s first term? If so, would Seoul be expected to support Washington or Beijing? Another economic question is the implications of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” rallying cry. What might it mean for the South Korean economy if the Americans decide to bring some industries back to the US? Another economic issue that Seoul will be concerned about in Trump’s second term is the cost-sharing of US forces deployed in Korea. Seoul negotiated with the Biden administration to increase the South Korean share in the costsharing. Seoul hopes Trump will not demand another increase. Seoul is concerned about the economic policy implications of Donald Trump’s second term The economy is important, but it is not South Korea’s only concern with regard to Trump. Two more important issues are Trump’s policy towards North Korea, which could affect South Korea’s security; and US relations with Japan. The Camp David Joint Statement 18 of August 2023 demonstrated an improvement in the relationship between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo. All these issues are dependent on a quick solution to the presidential crisis. The longer the crisis continues, the harder it will be for Seoul to deal with the Trump administration and the regional challenges it faces. Dr. Alon Levkowitz is Chair of the Asian Studies Department at Bar-Ilan University. His research focuses on politics and foreign relations in East Asia, Korean foreign and security policy, and Northeast Asian security.
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