Trump seeks to pave the way for a new meeting with Kim Jong Un
US President Donald Trump held a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae-myung, on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly Summit in New York. As desired by the American president, the two leaders focused primarily on discussing proposed South Korean investments totaling $350 billion into the US economy, in exchange for tariff reductions on South Korean exports to the US. Among other topics, both sides also discussed the potential resumption of Trump's contacts with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Submarines and military control on the table
The Trump–Lee meeting also covered issues concerning fuel supply for nuclear submarines, as well as Seoul's push to secure US consent for transferring wartime operational control to South Korean armed forces. Although no military operations have taken place on the Korean Peninsula since 1953, the United States maintains an 18,000-strong military force in South Korea, which would form the core of an allied force in the event of a new conflict. This situation is opposed by the Democratic Party government that assumed power in 2025 and seeks to appeal to nationalistic sentiments within South Korean society.
"Trump views Seoul's autonomy favorably"
Alexander Vorontsov, head of the Department for Korean and Mongolian Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stated to Nezavisimaya Gazeta that this issue has a long history. As he explained, under the US–South Korea agreement dating back to the 1950s, the US retains central wartime control over the two nations' combined forces. According to him, Democratic governments in South Korea view this as a limitation on national sovereignty, which is why they seek the transfer of operational control to Seoul. Vorontsov noted that until now, Americans viewed this concept with skepticism. However, Trump appears to adopt a different approach, believing that US allies should pay a higher price for their defense and, where possible, assume responsibility for their own protection. For this reason, he appears more receptive toward South Korea's ambitions.
The Trump–Xi meeting and the Chinese factor
Lee also hinted that Trump's scheduled September 24 meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping could help improve relations between South Korea and China through bilateral diplomacy. At the same time, the South Korean president requested Trump's assistance in restoring relations between Seoul and North Korea. The US president agreed to assist, noting that he had developed a good personal rapport with Kim Jong Un.
Preparation for a new face-to-face with Kim?
To date, there is no official confirmation that relations between Trump and Kim have actually been restored. The only public detail is the US president's statement that he remains open to meeting again with the North Korean leader and looks forward to such an encounter. If behind-the-scenes efforts in this direction are indeed underway, then the partial transfer of control over combined US–South Korean military forces to Seoul could serve as part of a broader push to cultivate a positive atmosphere ahead of a new summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un.
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