In Washington, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung faced his most delicate foreign policy test yet: navigating a first encounter with US President Donald Trump. The stakes were high. Mr Trump had already cast a shadow over the meeting with a cryptic remark about South Korea’s political turmoil, a statement that raised alarm in Seoul about whether domestic controversies might overshadow critical discussions on trade, defence, and security. Mr Lee, however, understood the moment demanded not confrontation but calculated diplomacy. By turning the meeting into a performance of charm, he managed to avert a damaging clash and left the Oval Office with what he most wanted ~ Mr Trump’s goodwill. The strategy was deliberate.

Mr Trump has long been sceptical of South Korea, frequently criticising its defence spending and trade surplus with the United States. Mr Lee himself is viewed warily in conservative circles, often........

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