President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met Tuesday during a working dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Évian-les-Bains, where Trump told Lee he would work to advance peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul’s presidential office.
Lee pressed Trump to maintain U.S. engagement on the Korean Peninsula following the conclusion of negotiations between the United States and Iran, the office said. Trump responded that he would take the necessary steps to achieve progress and would keep close communication with Lee, Oh Hyun-joo, South Korea’s third deputy national security adviser, said during a briefing Wednesday at a press center in Geneva, Switzerland.
Oh said Trump described Lee as a “strong leader” and expressed confidence the two countries could work together to promote peace and security in the region.
Lee welcomed the conclusion of the U.S.-Iran negotiations and congratulated Trump on the agreement, which came around the president’s birthday, according to the presidential office. Lee also praised Trump’s efforts to restore peace in the Middle East and address concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.
The two leaders agreed on the importance of free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and expressed hope that renewed regional stability would help stabilize oil prices and support an economic recovery, officials said.
Asked whether Trump and Lee discussed South Korea’s possible participation in an Iranian reconstruction fund, a senior presidential official did not directly address the question but said Lee noted that South Korea has “both the willingness and the capacity to make a meaningful contribution to international efforts, including those led by the United States.”
Lee and Trump reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan, supported by the South Korea-U.S. alliance. They also exchanged views on expanding cooperation in shipbuilding and other industries, with a presidential official saying there is “deep trust between the two leaders” regarding the investment agreement.
The leaders met several times during the summit, including at the dinner and at a welcoming ceremony for invited countries, according to the presidential office. They also spoke briefly after a musical performance and entered the second expanded G7 session together.