President Lee Jae-myung publicly backed U.S. President Donald Trump's order to scale back the South Korea-U.S. combined exercises, saying he "agrees with the will and effort to build a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula." While expressing hope that the downsizing of the drills will lead to trust-building between the United States and North Korea and a resumption of talks, he also stressed that Korea will sharply increase defense spending to build the capacity to take responsibility for the peninsula's defense on its own.
On the 19th, on X (formerly Twitter), President Lee wrote to President Trump, "I agree with President Trump's will and effort to build a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula even by reducing combined exercises and outdoor maneuver drills," and added, "I pay tribute to that decision."
President Lee said, "I saw well the recent social media message and photos you posted," adding, "This message from President Trump feels like a major decision, reflecting deep deliberation to move beyond hostility and confrontation to make peace on the Korean Peninsula."
He went on, "A peace system in which there is no need to fight is the most perfect security asset," stressing, "I hope this decision by President Trump will, through trust-building and resumption of dialogue between the United States and North Korea, lead to the establishment of a stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula."
He also recalled, "About a year ago at the White House, when I first met President Trump, I volunteered to be a 'pace maker' for peace on the Korean Peninsula, the world's only divided region, and asked President Trump to play the role of 'peace maker.'"
He added, "At the Group of Seven (G7) summit and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, I also held serious discussions with President Trump on restoring peace on the Korean Peninsula and resolving the nuclear issue," and said, "As I have stated several times, I will do my best in the role of pace maker that facilitates President Trump's peace maker efforts."
President Lee said, "In accordance with the agreement between South Korea and the United States, the Republic of Korea is rapidly increasing defense expenditure to achieve defense spending of 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), thereby building sufficient capacity to shoulder the defense of the Korean Peninsula on its own," adding, "I fully agree with President Trump's will that the security of the Korean Peninsula should be Korea's responsibility."
Regarding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, he said, "The government of the Republic of Korea has, on various occasions, stated that it will actively join the international community's efforts, including those of the United States, to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," adding, "To that end, our government will continue, as it has so far, to communicate closely with the U.S. side on various practical contribution measures within the scope tolerable under Korea's laws and basic policies."
This is interpreted as a message with President Trump's recent remark in mind that "I asked the president of South Korea whether there was a willingness to join efforts for Iran's denuclearization, but received the answer, 'No thanks!'"
President Lee added, "I look forward to a reunion before long with the esteemed President Trump in the United States."