이란전 비협조·투자 지연 불만…트럼프, 한국 압박하며 김정은엔 손짓

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly highlighted discontent with South Korea's lack of cooperation in the Iran conflict and delayed investment in the country, while simultaneously attempting to engage with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to restart dialogue. On the 17th, Trump directly revealed that the reduction of joint military exercises with South Korea was motivated by South Korea's unwillingness to assist in the Iran war and the slowness of U.S. investments in the country.

Analysis from within the Trump administration suggests that these issues were significant factors in the decision to reduce joint military exercises. Trump previously presented his alliance with South Korea as one based on loyalty and substantial costs, but on this day, he explicitly raised the issue of South Korea's "non-cooperation with Iran."

During a meeting with reporters at the White House, Trump proposed that South Korea contribute more to addressing the Iran issue, but the South Korean president rejected this offer. Trump insisted that the U.S. has 39,000 troops stationed in South Korea to protect it, questioning why the U.S. should assist North Korea with military operations.

The lack of South Korean cooperation in Iran has allowed the U.S. to reduce the burden of defending South Korea, according to this logic. The Washington Post also linked the decision to reduce joint military exercises to South Korea's failure to support the U.S. in the Hormuz crisis. The article noted that Trump administration officials continued to emphasize South Korea's reluctance to fulfill its $3.5 trillion investment commitment to the U.S. Critics argue that this economic and security leverage is being used by Trump to pressure South Korea into complying with U.S. demands.