South Korean President Lee to meet with Trump in Washington

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South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung is preparing for his first summit with Donald Trump, pushing back against U.S. pressure to shift the U.S.–South Korea alliance from deterring North Korea toward countering China. Washington seeks greater strategic flexibility for its 28,500 troops in South Korea, while Seoul remains focused on North Korea 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.