Lee Jae-myung, a candidate in the Democratic Party of Korea presidential primary, responded to a question from fellow party member Kim Dong-yeon on the 18th, asking, 'What would you say if you were sworn in as president and had a call with U.S. President Donald Trump?' by saying, 'If we get hung up on a single issue, we can easily be taken advantage of, so we need to pursue comprehensive negotiations.'
The candidate made this statement during a TV debate for the Democratic Party of Korea presidential primary held at MBC in Mapo District, Seoul. Earlier, Candidate Kim noted, 'I think the new president will need to contact President Trump right away. I'm expecting a short answer from you.'
The candidate showed restraint, saying, 'This is not something to talk about impromptu. It needs to be carefully prepared and done strategically.'
In response, Candidate Kim said, '(Regarding U.S. tariffs) we will need a negotiation strategy,' adding, 'Even if you think about the first call, what kind of strategy will be needed for negotiations with the Trump administration?'
In reply, the candidate stated, 'President Trump’s (tariff and trade) strategy is so bold that it could be called the “madman theory,”' adding, 'Given that many issues are at stake, such as the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) problem, defense cost-sharing, and shipbuilding cooperation, we need to pursue comprehensive negotiations.'
Candidate Kim immediately expressed dissent, stating, 'Comprehensive negotiations carry significant risks' and added, 'Rather, I think the strategy should focus on slightly separating topics such as defense cost-sharing.'