Recently, Jeong Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, who visited the United States to meet with Donald Trump Jr., was also reported to have met and dined with Donald Trump, the U.S. president-elect.
According to a press report on the 22nd, Chairman Jeong revealed to the press just before his return home on the 21st (local time) at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport that he had a conversation with the president-elect.
Chairman Jeong stayed at the Mar-a-Lago Resort in Palm Beach, Florida, the private residence of the president-elect, from the 16th until the morning of the 21st. He disclosed to reporters that he shared meals and engaged in in-depth discussions on various topics with the president-elect during his stay at the resort.
However, he noted that although they had a conversation lasting about 10 to 15 minutes, he could not disclose the details. Regarding whether the president-elect made any comments related to Korea, he said, "There were no specific comments."
Regarding whether there would be a role for Chairman Jeong between the Korean business community and the president-elect, he remarked, "What qualification do I have..." to draw a line.
On the question of attending the inauguration of the president-elect on Jan. 20, he showed humility by stating that he could attend as part of a delegation if the Korean government organized one.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Chairman Jeong spent a significant amount of time with Donald Trump Jr. over two days on the 17th and 18th, including sharing meals three to four times.
It is already known that Chairman Jeong has maintained a close relationship with Donald Trump Jr., as evident from the chairman's social networking service (SNS) Instagram in January.
The reason attention is focused on Chairman Jeong's actions is that the current government diplomacy has reached a point where it is not functioning properly.
Currently, President Yoon Suk-yeol is facing an impeachment crisis, and cabinet members have also either resigned in succession or are unable to perform their functions due to the aftermath of the imposition of martial law.
Chairman Jeong did not specifically disclose the content of his conversation with the president-elect to reporters on that day. However, the conversation's content is a significant point that could provide insights into how future Korea-U.S. relations might develop. It is also predicted that this could become a major opportunity for the government to strategize its response.
It is also noteworthy that during his stay at Mar-a-Lago, Chairman Jeong continued business discussions while meeting many influential figures through introductions by Donald Trump Jr. He also disclosed that he met a considerable number of close aides and campaign officials of the president-elect, which could be a crucial point in Korea-U.S. relations.