The two sides reportedly agreed to take efforts to ensure that agreements outlined in the joint fact sheet their countries released last November would be faithfully carried out
President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea (left) speaks to US President Donald Trump (pictured right) over the phone on June 6, 2025. (EPA/Yonhap)
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung spoke over the phone with US President Donald Trump on Sunday to discuss the outcomes of the recent US-China summit and exchange opinions on measures to develop Seoul-Washington relations. In a release to the press, Blue House spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said that the two leaders spoke over the phone for around 30 minutes starting at 10 pm Korea time that day. The call was arranged at the request of the South Korean government, which had asked to be notified of the outcomes of the US-China summit. This was the first time that the leaders of South Korea and the US have spoken personally since their bilateral summit in Gyeongju on Oct. 29, 2025. Lee congratulated Trump on a successful state visit to China, the first in nine years, and expressed that the stable management of US-China relations would contribute to the peace and prosperity of not only the Indo-Pacific, but the entire world. Trump shared the outcomes of his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and Friday, which included discussions on Washington-Beijing relations in general, economic and trade agreements, and issues related to the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East, according to Kang. Efforts toward peace on the Korean Peninsula were also discussed during the phone call. Lee hailed Trump and Xi’s “constructive consultations” on Korean Peninsula issues. Trump reportedly promised to work closely with Lee and play a role in ensuring peace and stability on the peninsula. When discussing key agenda items between South Korea and the US, the two leaders also discussed efforts to implement agreements laid out in the joint fact sheet adopted by the two countries in November 2025. “The two leaders noted that the joint fact sheet adopted in 2025 was a historic agreement that upgraded the South Korea-US alliance to new heights, and promised to strive to make sure that the promises in the agreement are brought to fruition,” said Kang. On the subject of economic and security cooperation between their two countries, the leaders appear to have spoken about follow-up consultations on tariffs, including the first venture for Korean investment in the US, as well as proposed amendments to the nuclear agreement between South Korea and the US, and Seoul’s push to build nuclear-powered submarines. Earlier that day, National Security Director Wi Sung-lac touched on ongoing negotiations between Seoul and Washington during an appearance on a KBS television program. “I had said that negotiations regarding national security issues were being affected after being tied to economic issues, but many discussions are being held behind the scenes, and we are making progress,” Wi said. Lee also hailed Trump’s proactive leadership in attempts to resolve the situation in the Middle East, stating that he hoped that peace and stability would soon return to the region. “The two leaders expressed that they looked forward to seeing one another at the upcoming Group of Seven summit, scheduled to take place in the middle of June,” Kang said. By Seo Young-ji, staff reporterPlease direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
