Commentary: After a turbulent relationship, how does South Korea plan to forge ‘good chemistry’ with Trump?

In his following name, Trump may possibly attempt to rekindle ties with Kim.

In its foreign policy, the United States favors a tyranny over a treaty ally. That would be a more impressive change than the Ukrainian withdrawal, which is not formally a US ally.

Trump has even long-standing demands on American allies to pay for security guarantees. In regards to South Korea, he has been especially severe. He even called South Korea a “money machine” only last month, saying that he wants to spend nine times as much as it would cost to station US troops there.

Where NATO allies may collectively struggle with Trump’s needs, South Korea’s place is much tougher. Northeast Asia isolates it. Due to historical problems dating back to World War II, it is confronted by three nuclear monarchies and has weak ties with Japan. If Trump behave similarly to what he did during his most recent president, it stands alone against him.

This could simply lead to an alliance problems. Conservatives in South Korea who support an empire might be willing to accept Trump’s massive economic demands to stop the collapse of the alliance. But the common blowback may be extreme, and the North Korean left, which is now in opposition, would use it to pummel the government as poor and craven. The approval rating of South Korea’s current, conventional president, Yoon Suk Yeol, is at an all-time poor of just 19 per cent, meaning he probably lacks the public assistance to satisfy Trump.