Trump ups trade tensions with SKorea in welcoming new leader
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and South Korea’s new leader showed joint resolve on North Korea on Friday despite their divergent philosophies for addressing the nuclear threat, yet the U.S. opened up a new front of discord by demanding a renegotiation of a landmark 2012 trade pact between the two countries.
Concluding two days of meetings at the White House, Trump and President Moon Jae-in each delivered tough talk opposing North Korea’s development of atomic weapons that could soon threaten both allies.
The “reckless and brutal regime” requires a determined reply, Trump said. And Moon, who has long advocated outreach to Pyongyang, vowed a “stern response” to provocation, promising to co-ordinate closely with Trump as he looks to intensify economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.
While they avoided a potential conflict on the most burning national security crisis facing each country, they showed little harmony on trade.