World leaders seem to have learned that meetings in the Oval Office can be a bit unpredictable. And that was the case Monday for South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung.
Heʻs only been in office since early June, and in December, his predecessor declared martial law and was later removed from office. But important talks are underway involving trade and security, and Hawaiʻi is very much part of that picture.
Jean Lee is not only the presidential chair at the East-West Center, she’s a longtime policy analyst of the Korean peninsula, and a former journalist with extensive reporting experience in North Korea from 2008 to 2017— including opening the AP bureau in Pyongyang in 2012. She’s also testified before Congress about North Korea.
Lee stopped by The Conversation to discuss President Donald Trump's first meeting with this South Korean president.
Editor's note: The East-West Center is an underwriter of HPR.
This story aired on The Conversation on Aug. 25, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
