Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, said at a meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) on the 19th, "I believe we can raise the defense cost-sharing for U.S. Forces Korea at a certain level," and noted, "I am worried about what will happen if the number of U.S. troops is reduced."
At the meeting held in a hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, Kim emphasized that if U.S. President Donald Trump attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju in October, he will discuss issues such as defense cost-sharing, the maintenance of U.S. Forces Korea, strengthening deterrence against North Korea, and trade matters to reaffirm trust between the two countries.
He mentioned the issue of U.S. troops in Korea, emphasizing, "Our main concern is to maintain U.S. Forces Korea without worrying about a reduction."
Regarding the North Korean nuclear threat, he stated, "The public should not feel anxious about North Korea's nuclear threats and should develop the ability to defend ourselves; it would be good if President Trump could provide a clear plan on this matter."
On trade issues, he emphasized that South Korea and the U.S. can enhance their industrial competitiveness by strengthening technology alliances in strategic industries such as shipbuilding, semiconductors, and automobiles.
Kim noted, "I felt moved when President Trump spoke at the National Assembly in 2017," adding, "If he gives a speech at APEC, even anti-American activists might come to recognize that 'America is truly a great country.'"
Differentiating his pro-U.S. policy from other presidential candidates, Kim emphasized that he is a 'pro-American.' He stated, "If it weren't for the U.S., there wouldn't be a Republic of Korea. Most of Korea's economic development, the democratization process, and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), have developed through cooperation with the U.S. If the Korea-U.S. alliance is not functioning properly, can there be peace in the Republic of Korea?" He added, "Strengthening the Korea-U.S. alliance will bring us peace and open our future."
In response, James Kim, chairman of AMCHAM, said, "I emphasized the partnership with the U.S. and if I were President Trump, I would really like Kim Moon-soo."
Kim also stated, "If I am elected president, I will visit the U.S. in June to hold an early summit with President Trump and quickly resolve issues that are obstacles to economic cooperation between the two countries." He further stated, "I will strengthen technology alliances in advanced strategic technology fields such as AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, and cybersecurity by forming a consensus through comprehensive negotiations between the leaders of Korea and the U.S. and finding ways for both countries to win-win."
He also emphasized the importance of the Korea-U.S. military alliance, stating that like the AUKUS (Australia-United Kingdom-United States trilateral security pact), South Korea will fully embark on joint development of defense advanced technology and promised to select 10 advanced defense technologies and expand the related research and development budget.
Regarding U.S. Forces Korea, he stated, "We will secure stable stationing conditions and expand support for strengthening the defense capabilities of both countries," and emphasized, "If K-defense integrates with America's advanced technology, the two countries will create greater synergy."
He also promised to actively create an environment for multinational corporations to invest in Korea, presenting pledges to attract foreign investment, including measures such as ▲ lower corporate taxes and tax benefits ▲ expanding investment incentives ▲ labor reform for labor market flexibility ▲ and abolishing unreasonable regulations.