South Korean President Lee to meet with Trump in Washington

South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung, en route to his first summit with Donald Trump, pushed back against U.S. pressure to shift the U.S.-South Korea alliance from deterring North Korea toward countering China. While Washington seeks greater “strategic flexibility” for its 28,500 troops in South Korea, Seoul remains focused on the North as its main threat and is wary of being drawn into a China conflict. Lee said he will press Trump on pursuing diplomacy with Pyongyang, despite its refusal to engage, NPR has reported. Analysts say balancing U.S. demands while avoiding directly naming China as a foe is key to Seoul’s strategy.