President stresses national interests in diplomacy, acknowledges disagreements with US
President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that disagreements can exist between countries, while stressing that Korea must put its national interests first and “avoid submissive attitudes or excessive servility” in its diplomacy. Speaking to ministers and presidential aides during a live broadcast of the weekly Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee made the remarks as disputes over intelligence…
On Tuesday, President Lee Jae Myung emphasized the importance of national interests in diplomacy during a live broadcast of the weekly Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae. He acknowledged that disagreements can occur between countries and stressed the need to avoid submissive attitudes or excessive servility in diplomatic relations.
Lee spoke to ministers and presidential aides about ongoing disputes, including issues regarding intelligence sharing, U.S. visa delays for prominent Korean individuals, and limited access to senior White House officials. These concerns have fueled worries about the strength of the Korea-U.S. alliance.
Conservative politicians have criticized Lee's liberal government for undermining years of trust, while progressive figures argue that some U.S. objections may be unjustified. In response to these criticisms, Lee stated that disagreements between nations are inevitable, as each country pursues its own national interests. He called for ongoing discussions to address these differences, making positions clear, and working towards eventual agreement. Lee urged efforts to minimize these differences and keep them within manageable bounds.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
