South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and US President Donald Trump pledged to modernize the US-South Korea alliance during talks in Washington.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and US President Donald Trump pledged to modernize the US-South Korea alliance during Washington talks, committing to closer defense and economic cooperation.
Lee announced that Seoul will increase its defense budget to develop a “smart force” capable of addressing future threats, including cyber and space security challenges. He emphasized that the alliance must evolve alongside new technologies and emerging threats.
The summit also saw significant business deals:
- Samsung Heavy Industries signed an MoU with Vigor Marine Group for US Navy ship maintenance and plans joint shipbuilding projects.
- Hyundai Motor Group will open a robotics facility in the US with a 30,000-unit annual capacity, bringing its total US investment to $26 billion.
- Boeing agreed to sell 103 jets to Korean Air, reinforcing Seoul’s role as a major US aircraft customer.
Lee described the modernization effort as a strategic as well as technological shift, ensuring preparedness against cyber threats and emerging warfare technologies. Trump praised South Korea as a “big buyer of US military equipment” and expressed hopes to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year.
Lee stressed that peace requires strength, underscoring the US alliance as central to South Korea’s security posture while maintaining openness to dialogue with Pyongyang.
