As countries around the globe prepare for a potential second Trump presidency, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is gearing up for 'golf diplomacy' with President-elect Trump. Yoon has resumed practicing golf after eight years, following advice from those around him. Golf has historically been a reliable pathway to Trump, given his business interests in the sport.
During his previous presidency, Trump engaged in golf diplomacy with world leaders, including Japan's Shinzo Abe and South Korea's Moon Jae-in. However, Trump's return to the Korean Peninsula will be met with a different landscape, with rising concerns about North Korea's nuclear threat.
Yoon's conservative government, which came into power in 2022, has aligned closely with the US in bolstering deterrence against North Korea. This stance suggests that Yoon is unlikely to push for a meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un without clear progress on denuclearization.
Moreover, North Korea's deepening ties with Russia, particularly amid the conflict in Ukraine, add another layer of complexity to the regional dynamics. The future of the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea also remains a point of contention, as Trump has previously criticized South Korea for not paying enough for their presence.
Prior to Trump's potential re-election, the US and South Korea tentatively agreed on a new five-year cost-sharing deal for American forces in South Korea, aiming to solidify their alliance. The evolving relationships and security challenges in the region set the stage for intricate diplomatic maneuvers in the coming months.
