[AP/Yonhap News Photo]
South Korean President Moon Jae-in was exposed to strategic pressure and appeasement by the administration of US President Donald Trump before the two leaders have their first face-to-face meeting that would focus on North Korea and trade.
The brunt of US pressure came at a Department of Energy event when Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, California, signed an agreement to sell natural gas to South Korea.
Trump said the agenda at his summit meeting with Moon would include South Korea buying more US energy. "We've got a lot of discussion to do, but we will also be talking about them buying energy from the United States of America, and I'm sure they'll like to do it."
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley followed up with a warning that Trump would take action if South Korea balks at the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, a sensitive diplomatic issue that has strained relations between Seoul and Beijing.
"He has actually made good strides towards us and away from North Korea on many levels and, you know, those missiles that continue to be tested continue to push him the other way. I do think he was trying to slow-walk THAAD to see where it was going to be," Haley told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.
"At the end of the day, I personally believe it's going to work itself out. But I also know that the administration, the second we see something that's not going in the favor of protection of our troops, then I know the president will act," she said.
Trump pleased Moon with complementary remarks at their White House dinner. "It was a great victory, and you did a fantastic job," Trump said about Moon's election victory. "A lot of people didn't expect that, and I did expect it. I thought that was going to happen. So I want to congratulate you very much."
The US leader, however, warned that Moon would face tough summit talks on an array of issues ranging from North Korea to trade.
"We're going to have tremendous discussions tonight. I know you've been discussing with our people some of the complexities of North Korea and trade and other things, and we'll be discussing them all as we progress -- and it could be very well late into the evening," Trump said.
Washington revealed a tough policy toward North Korea by blacklisting the Bank of Dandong, a Chinese bank, as a "primary money laundering concern" for helping North Korea access the US and the international financial system.
"This bank has served as a gateway for North Korea to access the US and international financial systems -- facilitating millions of dollars of transactions for companies involved in North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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