WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung underscored his priorities for strengthening the U.S.-ROK alliance, from boosting defense spending to engaging North Korea, during a forum Monday, just hours after meeting with President Donald Trump.
Lee emphasized at the Center for Strategic and International Studies a positive takeaway from his meeting with Trump despite some trepidation as some 200 professors and policymakers listened attentively.
Those who wanted to hear what the new president had to say included former U.S. Trade Representative Carla A. Hills; U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; Chairman Roy Ryu of the Korean Poongsan Corp.; former Secretaries of Defense Chuck Hagel and William S. Cohen; and various current and former State Department officials.
John J. Hamre, the center's president and chief executive officer, opened the event with praise for South Korea's resilience amid recent political turmoil.
"President Lee's election was not a normal election. It occurred in the context of a diplomatic crisis and a constitutional crisis in Korea," Hamre said. "The Korean people stood up. The Korean people asserted their democracy, and it was very reassuring for those of us who have dedicated our lives to building a stronger Korea.
