The U.S. and South Korea need to salvage their tariff and investment agreement—for the sake of the alliance

(Credit: Demetrius Freeman—The Washington Post via Getty Images)

South Korean president Lee Jae Myung joked that he avoided a “Zelenskyy moment” during his first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last August. There was much to celebrate at the long-delayed summit: An agreement that reduced U.S. tariffs on its sixth-largest trading partner from 25% to 15%, and alignment on the two allies’ security policies towards North Korea.

But—as is now common under the Trump administration—those good feelings quickly soured. A brewing crisis now threatens the 72-year-old alliance and South Korea’s hosting of the APEC Summit at the end of this month.