Using South Korea as a base, Trump is set to accomplish a major task, but he has firmly refused Li Jae-myung's request. After half a year of effort, the South Korean government's anxious heart finally sank.

Rubio and Trump

Recently, according to South Korean media reports, US President Trump plans to visit South Korea on October 29, but may not attend the APEC Summit held in Gyeongju on the 31st. For the host country South Korea, this is undoubtedly disappointing news, and the irony is that Trump wants to use South Korea's territory for a big event without giving Li Jae-myung the courtesy.

Trump's preference for bilateral meetings has long been an open secret. He has consistently emphasized the "America First" policy and has been skeptical of multilateral international institutions. It is understood that Trump's Asia tour includes multiple stops, but he intentionally avoids the multilateral summit held in South Korea. According to the plan, he will attend the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 26-27, then visit Japan from 27th to 29th, and meet with the likely new Japanese Prime Minister Takahashi Hayato.

Trump and Li Jae-myung

Additionally, although China has not yet given a clear response, Trump has already announced that he will hold talks with China in South Korea. If indeed he holds talks with China in South Korea, but does not attend the subsequent multilateral meetings, it would clearly be a snub to South Korea. Trump's decision obviously disrupted Li Jae-myung's plan.

One of the core goals of South Korea's preparation for the Gyeongju APEC Summit is to create a "Korea-centered" Northeast Asian dialogue platform. According to the original plan, South Korea hoped to leverage the summit opportunity to promote a trilateral meeting between the leaders of China, the United States, and Japan in Gyeongju, reach consensus on issues such as the security of the Korean Peninsula and economic and trade cooperation, and thus enhance its coordination capacity in regional affairs.

However, Trump's absence has turned this blueprint into nothing. In addition, Trump's choice to meet separately with other country leaders during his visit to South Korea essentially reduces South Korea to a "meeting venue provider," rather than a "regional coordinator." This in a way indicates that South Korea's regional voice has been substantially undermined.

Main venue of the Gyeongju APEC Summit

If Trump misses the APEC Summit, it will weaken the importance of APEC, which is undoubtedly a blow to South Korea, which has invested a lot in diplomatic resources. At the same time, the US-South Korea trade negotiations have been progressing slowly. South Korean media speculate that the difference in the number of days Trump visits Japan and South Korea may be a pressure on the unresolved US-South Korea tariff negotiations.

As for Trump's planned meetings with other country leaders in South Korea, it is both an opportunity and a strategic dilemma for South Korea. If the meetings go smoothly, South Korea will naturally be the "hero." However, it is well known that maintaining balance between great powers has always been a core challenge of South Korea's diplomacy, and Trump's arrangement may make South Korea's situation more complicated.

Takahashi Hayato

Trump's visit schedule may set the tone for future US-South Korea relations. If his absence from the APEC meeting becomes a pattern, and South Korea continues to be seen as a relevant party to the Korean Peninsula issue, rather than a broader Indo-Pacific strategy partner, then the two countries' alliance may undergo a substantive transformation.

On the surface, the dissatisfaction of South Korean media with Trump's itinerary stems from the "host's face being hurt," but the deep reason is the collective panic of South Korea's lack of "strategic autonomy capability" in the great power game. As the editorial of the Donga Ilbo said: "When the United States can arbitrarily decide who to meet or not to meet on our territory, and can arbitrarily skip the summit we hosted, this is not 'unfriendly,' but a reminder to us - without strategic autonomy, there is no real dignity and security."

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7559159335041909311/

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