South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s foreign policy team’s institutionalist instincts clash with U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable diplomacy at a moment when trade, alliance costs and regional alignment risks are intensifying.

With critical decisions due on tariffs, defense cost-sharing and multilateral engagement, the mismatch in diplomatic styles could leave South Korea outpaced and strategically sidelined.

STRUCTURAL MISMATCH

Lee’s first phone call with Trump came three days after his inauguration — a significant departure from precedent. Former presidents Moon Jae-in and Yoon Suk-yeol both spoke to their U.S. counterparts on the day they assumed office.

The delay, paired with the White