SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol just lately started training golf, for the primary time in eight years, in preparation for future conferences with US President-elect Donald Trump, Yoon’s workplace confirmed on Tuesday (Nov 12).
South Korean media mentioned Yoon visited a golf course on Saturday for a sport his workplace mentioned he had final performed in 2016.
“Lots of people near President Trump … (informed me) President Yoon and Trump may have good chemistry,” Yoon informed a press convention on Thursday, after congratulating Trump by phone on his win.
Former Trump administration officers and influential Republicans had supplied to assist construct ties with the incoming president, he added.
Analysts mentioned Yoon could search to discover a approach to capitalise on a private friendship with Trump to advance Seoul’s pursuits as Trump’s “America First” international coverage plans and his unpredictable fashion play out in his second time period.
South Korean corporations rely closely on commerce with america, and through Trump’s first time period, the international locations clashed over cost-sharing for the roughly 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean Conflict.
Officers in Seoul have been working to arrange for vital financial change, whereas Yoon known as on Sunday for presidency and trade talks to arrange for Trump’s return.
The same personalities and outsider approaches of Trump and Yoon could assist them get alongside, mentioned Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a specialist in Korean affairs at King’s School London.
“I additionally suppose that Yoon is usually popular with policy-makers in america, which is able to assist him, whoever advises Trump on international coverage,” he added.
Bruce Klingner, of the Heritage Basis in Washington, agreed that the 2 might develop a powerful relationship however warned it won’t be enough to spare South Korea from damaging impacts.
“Whereas many leaders will search to copy the friendship that Shinzo Abe had with Trump, there isn’t a proof that private relationship resulted in any tangible, demonstrative advantages for Japan,” the previous CIA analyst added, referring to the assassinated former Japanese prime minister.
Tokyo was handled the identical as Seoul in contentious talks on navy cost-sharing, he added.
