WASHINGTON (August 27, 2025) – South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met with President Donald Trump earlier this week amid tense conditions including North Korea’s hostile rhetoric, and unease over a pending trade deal.
The visit comes just months after Lee’s dramatic rise to power, following the impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol and a generational shift in South Korean politics.
For expert insight on this visit, please consider Jungho Suh. Professor Suh is a teaching assistant professor of management at the George Washington University School of Business. Professor Suh is also the project director of the Korean Management Institute at GW.
“President Lee Jae-myung’s U.S. visit opens the door for deeper economic cooperation. As I noted in The National Interest, South Korea’s evolving business diplomacy emphasizes joint ventures, SME partnerships, and entrepreneurial exchange. Prioritizing shared prosperity through innovation and business partnerships—not just military alignment—can redefine U.S.–ROK relations for the next generation” said Professor Suh.
Celeste Arrington, Professor Arrington is the Korea Foundation Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs; Director, GW Institute for Korean Studies; Co-Director, East Asia National Resource Center. Arrington is an expert in comparative politics, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, state-society relations, law and society, media and politics, and Northeastern Asian security.
Gregg Brazinsky, Professor of History and International Affairs; Director, M.A. Asian Studies Program; Director, Sigur Center for Asian Studies; Co-Director, East Asia National Resource Center. Brazinsky is an expert on U.S. and East Asian relations.
To schedule an interview with Professor Suh, Professor Arrington or Professor Brazinsky, please contact Claire Sabin at claire [dot] sabin
gwu [dot] edu (claire[dot]sabin[at]gwu[dot]edu) or Shannon Mitchell at shannon [dot] mitchellgwu [dot] edu (shannon[dot]mitchell[at]gwu[dot]edu).
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