A suggestion has emerged from a close aide to President Donald Trump that he should hold talks with President Lee Jae-myung first and cooperate closely with South Korea before meeting with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un. Fred Fleitz, Vice President of the American First Policy Institute (AFPI), a conservative U.S. think tank, sent an op-ed titled “5 Things Trump Must Do Before Meeting Kim Jong-un Again” to the conservative U.S. media outlet *American Greatness* on the 21st. Fleitz is considered a member of President Trump’s inner circle, having served as Chief of Staff to the White House National Security Advisor during Trump’s first term.
In an op-ed, he argued, “President Trump should hold talks with President Lee Jae-myung (before meeting Chairman Kim), and it is desirable for him to visit Seoul if possible.” He continued, “The President’s visit to Korea would strongly convey his commitment to U.S.-Korea relations and his resolve to resume face-to-face diplomacy with Kim Jong-un, and efforts (to meet Kim Jong-un) are reportedly being pursued for this fall.” He added, “Trump could reinforce his message through another major speech at the Korean National Assembly, just as he did in 2018.” Deputy Director Flytz also suggested, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio should be immediately dispatched to Seoul to drive the momentum this fall toward a concrete summit.”
He continued by stating, “The Lee Jae-myung administration has demonstrated stronger-than-expected cooperation in the fields of trade and security,” citing examples such as a 7.5% increase in South Korea’s defense budget this year, an additional $1 billion in support for U.S. Forces Korea, an agreement on large-scale shipbuilding cooperation between the two countries to expand the U.S. Navy’s capabilities, and prospects for U.S. companies to win large contracts related to South Korea’s first nuclear-powered submarine and civilian nuclear power programs.
He also assessed, “Unlike some European allies, South Korea did not attempt to undermine U.S. efforts for a war against Iran by denying access to key bases or publicly criticizing President Trump’s Iran policy.” Deputy Director Flytes then suggested, “Secretary Rubio should evaluate these achievements and work with Seoul to finalize the details of the Trump-Kim Jong-un summit, regardless of whether it is held privately or on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China in November.” He specifically assessed that President Trump’s order to drastically reduce the annual South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises was “a negligible cost if it can bring Kim Jong-un to the talks,” adding that “Secretary Rubio must ensure that this concession is closely coordinated with South Korea and does not exceed the scope necessary to bring Kim Jong-un to the negotiating table.”
Deputy Director Flytz urged the appointment of a special envoy to North Korea to “work dedicatedly to facilitating peace talks and promoting North Korea’s denuclearization,” recommending Michael DeSombri, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, who “possesses extensive experience in the Asia-Pacific sector and a clear ‘America First’ stance.” Flytz further stated that “South Korea is part of the security alliance network that President Trump must utilize to counter growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea in the Indo-Pacific region,” and called for strengthening trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, as well as consultations with other regional nations such as Australia, India, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Along with this, he cited “the inertia of U.S. officials, particularly within the Department of Energy, and congressional hesitation” as the reasons for the delay in expanding South Korea’s civilian uranium enrichment and nuclear waste reprocessing authority, which were part of the trade and security agreements reached by the South Korean and U.S. presidents last year. Flytz then advised sending Commerce Secretary Scott Besant and Energy Secretary Chris Wright to South Korea, stating, “Instruct them to remove the obstacles remaining in the South Korea-U.S. trade and energy agreements.” This appears to be a case of confusing Commerce Secretary Howard Rutnick with Treasury Secretary Besant.