South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will be testing the limits of one of the more successful strategies of dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump when he visits the White House this month.
The summit will likely feature thorny issues including how to approach North Korea, the future of the U.S. military alliance with South Korea and the details of a $350 billion investment pledge. So far, South Korea has largely flown under the diplomatic radar, working mostly behind the scenes without some of the grand gestures seen from other leaders. The result was one of the most favorable tariff agreements, reached just before the deadline, and the upcoming meeting for Lee.
Lee’s government, which took office in June, has sought to show as much flexibility as possible, to the point of "doing backflips,” according to one official familiar with the planning, who asked not to be identified to discuss confidential deliberations. While the administration in Seoul is pleased with the outcomes so far, they are conscious of the potential pitfalls of an Oval Office meeting.
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