South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol held a phone call on 7 November with newly re-elected US President Donald Trump to congratulate him on his victory. During the 12-minute conversation, the two leaders discussed a range of issues, including North Korea’s military involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to Yonhap.
The parties addressed security, the economy, and global issues. South Korea’s Principal Deputy National Security Adviser, Kim Tae-hyo, said that Yoon and Trump discussed North Korea’s situation, including recent nuclear developments, missile launches and troop deployment to Russia. They expressed their concerns on these security issues and on the urgency of the situation in Ukraine.
The leaders agreed that an in-person meeting would be essential to discuss these matters further, and said they would coordinate soon on a date and location for such a summit.
According to Yonhap, experts say a second Trump administration is expected to bring shifts and unpredictability to the US-South Korea alliance, potentially increasing pressure on Seoul to take on a larger share of the burden as a US ally.
Another key focus will be how Trump might address North Korea’s denuclearization efforts, especially amid growing skepticism about Washington’s commitment to this goal, along with his approach to Russia’s war in Ukraine, where Pyongyang’s forces are ready to join Russia.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported holding a phone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump, stating that both leaders “agreed to maintain close dialogue and advance our cooperation.” Zelenskyy emphasized that “strong and unwavering US leadership is vital for the world and for a just peace.”
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