SOUTH KOREA PERSPECTIVE

Seoul, May 17, 2026. South Korea initiated the communication: the Cheong Wa Dae presidential office requested a 30-minute phone call on Sunday between President Lee Jae Myung and Donald Trump, immediately after the U.S. president returned from Beijing. Seoul sought to hear firsthand the results of the Trump-Xi summit, whose implications directly affect South Korean strategic and economic interests.

The two leaders discussed peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Lee commended the constructive nature of the exchanges between Washington and Beijing on this matter, while Trump affirmed he would play the necessary role for peninsula stability in close coordination with Seoul. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to faithfully implementing the "joint fact sheet" signed at the Gyeongju summit in October 2025, described as a "historic accord" that elevated the alliance to a new level.

However, the Iran issue concentrates Seoul's most immediate concerns. The Strait of Hormuz represents the passage of approximately 70 percent of South Korea's crude oil imports, making it one of the nations most exposed to the blockade in place since the start of the U.S.-Iran conflict on February 28. According to the Korea Times, 26 commercial vessels are currently immobilized in the area. Among them, the HMM Namu, a bulk carrier that sustained damage on May 4 after being struck by unidentified flying objects presumed to be of Iranian origin.

Cheong Wa Dae released a statement asserting that "any attack against civilian ships in the Strait of Hormuz is unacceptable." Washington is simultaneously pressing its allies, including Seoul, to join its initiatives to restore freedom of navigation. South Korea finds itself caught between structural energy dependence on the Gulf and the need to avoid offending Beijing, its premier trade partner.

The Taiwan question, also addressed at the Beijing summit, adds another layer of complexity. The United States calls on its allies to play a more active role in containing Beijing, yet South Korea maintains a cautious line regarding the "one China" policy. Xi Jinping reportedly warned Trump that Taiwan could lead to confrontation if mishandled, according to the Korea Times.

The fact that Trump called Tokyo first on Friday before Seoul on Sunday did not go unnoticed in South Korean media. The call with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi preceded the one with Lee, underscoring the informal hierarchy in the post-summit diplomatic management of the U.S. administration.