The United States right now seems to have focused its diplomatic efforts on the Korean peninsula. As US President Trump spontaneously agreed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and amid the trade tensions with China, it appears that the United States will be relying primarily on South Korea as an ally in the negotiations with North Korea.
To get on South Korea’s good side the US recently agreed to first exempt it from the steel and aluminum tariffs, and then went a step further to establish another agreement on free trade with South Korea. The so-called Korus agreement seems to bring positives to both South Korea and the United States. It comes after Trump criticised the trade relationship with the country, putting in jeopardy the alliance he needs in order to ensure the negotiations with Kim Jong-un go well.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in is set to become the first head of state to meet personally with Kim Jong-un, while Trump is expected to be the second, with his visit a few weeks later. He needs President Moon’s good word before the North Korean leader, since the relationship between the United States and North Korea is so tense.
