The NSMV 2 and NSMV 3, national security multi-mission vessels, are shown under construction in he outfitting dock at the Philly shipyard, which is owned by a Korean conglomerate. U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung plan to visit the shipyard. Photo courtesy of the Philly Shipyard
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s first visit with President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday has drawn much attention from experts and policymakers.
For younger Korean Americans in Washington, especially those engaged in politics and policy, the presidential summit carries great weight.
“This is one of the most important times in Korean politics,” said John Lee, a Korean American graduate student at George Washington University and a member of GWU’s Korean Student Alliance chapter.
“Because there’s such an instability within Korea politically, I hope that the visit to the U.S. doesn’t cause more instability and more chaos in South Korean politics,” he said.
Before beginning the summit, John Lee, along with other Korean Americans in the District of Columbia area, joined President Lee at a dinner at the Conrad Hotel to bolster community spirit within Washington.
Other policymakers, such as Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., and the ambassador of South Korea to the United States, Cho Hyun-dong, who formerly served as foreign minister, attended.
Korean Americans who are veterans in Washington politics appear to continue focusing on day-to-day concerns, while a student like Lee has focused on the progression of talks, especially given his educational focus on international affairs.
“This talk is extremely important, and it will kind of determine the next few years between the two [leaders] in this relationship between South Korea and the U.S.,” Lee said.
He noted a major polarization is occurring in Korea, noting that whatever does occur during the summit will most likely meet with disapproval by conservatives, while liberals will praise it.
According to a White House Communications Office press report, the South Korean Embassy in Washington said Lee’s objectives are to find steady trade ties with Washington and create a more reliable economic partnership.
Another goal is to update a 73-year security alliance to better address regional and global challenges and explore new ways of cooperation, such as within the shipbuilding industry.
After Lee’s meetings with Trump today, he is to speak at a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic & International Studies before heading to Philadelphia with Trump to visit the historic Philly Shipyard, which was acquired last year by the Hanwha Group, a South Korean conglomerate.