Trump's trade war threatens South Korea’s ‘survival’: New president
Newly-elected South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has warned that the global trade chaos sparked by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs poses a threat to his country’s survival.
Lee made the remarks in his inaugural address on Wednesday, just hours after he was declared winner of South Korea’s presidential election.
“The rapid changes in the global order such as rising protectionism and supply chain restructuring pose a threat to our very survival,” he said.
Lee further stated that "the most pressing matter is trade negotiations with the United States," promising that he would bolster a trilateral partnership with Washington and Japan.
He also pledged to build a "flexible, pragmatic government," adding that an emergency economic task force would be "activated immediately" with a focus on fighting inequality and corruption.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Lee said his government would deal with what he described as potential North Korean aggression with “a strong deterrence” based on the South Korea-US military alliance.
However, he said he would leave the door open for dialogue with the North and establish peace on the Korean peninsula.
Meanwhile, an unnamed White House official said the US is “concerned and opposed to Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world” following Lee’s victory.
The official, however, did not elaborate or directly link the comment to Tuesday’s election, which they described as “free and fair.”
The White House comment sparked consternation among South Korean politicians, amid reports that Donald Trump's allies have sought to discredit Lee, who has spoken of balancing his country’s relationship with the US and China.
The presidential office in Seoul gave a cautious response to the White House comment, saying only that it was “under review.”
Lee, from the opposition Democratic Party, was elected as president on Tuesday after months of political turmoil in the country, defeating Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP).
He won the landslide victory in an election triggered by former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law in December.
Markets reacted favorably to the election, with the benchmark KOSPI and the won (official currency of South Korea) rising Wednesday.
The South Korean president serves a single five-year term without the possibility of re-election.
N Korea leader vows 'unconditional support' for Russia as Ukraine war escalates
North Korea slams US for threatening global peace, warns of ‘powerful’ response
South Koreans vote in early election triggered by martial law
Op. True Promise III: Iran unleashes wave of new-gen missiles at Zionist entity
Leader: Iran stands firmly against imposed war; US intervention to cause ‘irreparable damage’
IAEA chief rebuffs Trump, says no evidence Iran is building nuclear weapons
Explainer: What makes Iran’s Fattah hypersonic missile – used in Op. True Promise III – lethal
Iran’s firm response to Israeli aggression shows wisdom, character of its leadership
Fattah missile sends message of Iranian power to Israel's war-mongering ally: IRGC
Iran pounds strategic targets in Tel Aviv, Haifa in most intense wave of True Promise III
Israel may run out of missile interceptors if war against Iran continues: Report
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
