Top office defends fruitless Lee-Trump summit: 'Negotiations won't be over until they're over'

Korean officials emphasize ongoing U.S. negotiations as the new normal post-summit, prioritizing trust and careful discussions over immediate agreements.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Aug. 28. Kang presented a ″Make America Great Again″ hat signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, a luncheon menu and a name card from the event during the press briefing. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said Thursday that negotiations with the United States will likely continue even after summits conclude, calling the continued process a “new normal.”

“Negotiations with the U.S. won’t be over until they’re over — ongoing talks will become the new normal,” Kang told reporters during a press briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Thursday.

Kang was referring to a change in approach that emerged under the Donald Trump administration, during which negotiations continued after summit meetings with no joint statement or factsheet summarizing results.

Kang's comments came in response to domestic criticism that the latest Korea-U.S. summit had failed to produce tangible outcomes such as a joint statement.

“There was an internal assessment that taking time without finalizing a written agreement may not be a bad tactical decision,” Kang said. “There’s little reason to believe that rushing negotiations is more advantageous.”

The chief of staff also noted that Japan has also yet to reach a formal agreement with the United States on tariffs. Seoul believed that prematurely agreeing to U.S. terms on trade and investment could lead to unfavorable conditions in the future, according to officials in the presidential office.

Earlier, Kim Yong-beom, presidential director of national policy, said Korea would form a “working-level task force to negotiate the specifics” of a $350 billion investment plan with Washington. That, Kang noted, was in line with Seoul’s strategy to proceed with careful, detailed discussions.

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump are pictured during their summit at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Aug. 25 in this photo provided by the presidential office on Aug. 26. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Still, Kang acknowledged that “eventually, these discussions are likely to be formalized in writing.”

Kang’s framing of prolonged talks as the “new normal” also reflects the Trump administration’s tendency to raise new issues mid-negotiation, complicating the process.

“Today, it’s auto tariffs, but there could just as easily be issues raised about pharmaceuticals, nuclear energy or other sectors,” Kang said. “Bilateral agreements may be altered without specific cause, and if the U.S. raises concerns over the cost of security — even without new threats or issues — we will need to recalibrate.”

“I have no choice but to refer to this as the new normal,” he emphasized.

Kang highlighted the establishment of a “solid trust” between President Lee Jae Myung and Trump as a key achievement of the summit.

“Diplomacy, in the end, is a human endeavor,” Kang said. “Trust between leaders is the foundation and starting point for strengthening bilateral relations.”

From left: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin [JOONGANG ILBO]

During the press briefing, Kang displayed a “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) cap signed by Trump, along with a luncheon menu and a name card from the event. He explained that Trump signed items for the Korean delegation some 40 to 50 times after the summit’s luncheon.

“You can’t help but feel that Trump is putting effort into Korea,” Kang said.

As the summit is being credited with helping to open the door to renewed North Korea-U.S. dialogue, Kang revealed that Seoul was aware in advance of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s plan to attend a military parade in China next month, marking the 80th anniversary of the country’s victory in the war of resistance against Japan.

“This South Korea-U.S. summit was fundamentally shaped by those developments,” Kang said. “Some of the positive discussions can be interpreted within that context.”

Kang added that Trump’s attention to Pyongyang-Washington dialogue and his increased engagement with Seoul may be influenced by growing ties between North Korea, China and Russia.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY YOON SUNG-MIN [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]