Korea’s political turmoil seen as 'worst case' for Trump 2.0, U.S. relations, expert says
Published: 13 Dec. 2024, 10:42
![Victor Cha, the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/13/7c4afd68-0400-43b4-bdaa-e0cbf3ca53ed.jpg)
Victor Cha, the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency. [YONHAP]
Korea's continuing political turmoil in the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law attempt will be the "worst case scenario" for the start of the second Trump administration and the alliance between Seoul and Washington, a prominent U.S. expert said Thursday.
Victor Cha, the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), made the remarks, voicing concerns that the turmoil comes when it is "very important" for a Korean leader to build a personal relationship with the incoming U.S. president.
"On the alliance, I'll just say ... I think in many ways, this is probably the worst case scenario for the start of Trump Two and the U.S.-Korea alliance," he said during a CSIS podcast.
"Of course, there are people who will try to continue the connections. But the reality is that Trump is Trump, and the personal sort of leader-to-leader tie is very important," he added.
Cha pointed out that during a forum this week, people with ties to Trump said it is not the first 100 days after Trump takes office, but the first 100 hours, during which there will be a raft of policy moves likely to affect Korea.
"It could have to do with troops in Korea. It could have to do with tariffs. It could have to do with the CHIPS Act. It could have to do with a whole bunch of things," he said. "And there's nobody at home in Korea. There's nobody there."
Cha also noted that in an impeachment motion against Yoon, there was a reference to some foreign policy actions that Yoon has taken.
"You can disagree with foreign policy ... I am not a constitutional lawyer, but that's not an impeachable offense," he said.
Korea has been in a period of political uncertainty since Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3 only to retract the decree hours later following social and political blowback.
After the declaration, the United States voiced "grave concern" while stressing that democracy is a foundational pillar of the bilateral alliance.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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