Lee arrives in Washington on eve of high-stakes summit with Trump
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Washington on Sunday for a high-stakes summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, where the leaders are expected to discuss security, trade and other crucial issues that will likely affect the future trajectory of the bilateral relationship.
Lee's presidential plane touched down at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, kicking off a three-day visit to the United States following his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo over the weekend. Lee and Trump are set to hold their first summit at the White House on Monday.
The summit will come as the Trump administration has been pushing to "modernize" the alliance with South Korea, a process that could involve higher South Korean defense spending and a realignment of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea amid Washington's drive to counter an increasingly assertive China.
Along with alliance modernization issues, North Korea's denuclearization could also be discussed at the summit as the recalcitrant regime's nuclear and ballistic missile threats persist in the midst of its deepening military cooperation with Russia.
On the trade front, the leaders are expected to finalize details of a framework trade deal announced late last month.
Under the deal, the Trump administration agreed to lower "reciprocal" tariffs on Korean goods to 15 percent from the proposed 25 percent in return for Seoul's US$350 billion investment pledges and other commitments.
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said the summit will focus on stabilizing bilateral economic ties, modernizing the alliance and exploring new areas of cooperation.
After the White House talks, Lee will attend a business roundtable with top corporate executives from both countries and deliver a speech at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Lee also plans to visit Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia seen as a symbol of bilateral shipbuilding cooperation before returning to Seoul.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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