Tuesday, 18 August, 2026
Transactional Diplomacy: How Trump Redefined the US-South Korea Alliance
By TechShots Studio
Under President Trump, the US-South Korea relationship shifted toward a highly transactional framework focused on burden-sharing and unilateral decisions. Trump pressed Seoul for steep increases in defense spending and trade concessions, while frequently scaling back major joint military exercises to prioritize direct diplomacy with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. The approach strained traditional alliance norms, injecting fresh uncertainty into regional security and mutual defense commitments.
Read full story at REUTERS