Kurt Tong, a former U.S. ambassador for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) at the U.S. State Department, recently told the Maeil Business Newspaper that more direct investment in the U.S. is inevitable to protect major industries such as automobiles and semiconductors from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff offensive by industry.
"The purpose of tariffs in the Trump era is to pressure (foreign companies) to move their manufacturing facilities into the United States," he said, citing △ tariff △ technology △ transactivism as the keywords penetrating the Trump era.
Former Ambassador Tong said that the Trump administration's "onshoring" strategy is essentially different from the former Joe Biden administration's "friend-shoring" concept, adding, "South Korea should make the U.S. understand what it has done to the U.S. (such as building production facilities in the U.S.) and show how it can contribute to the revival of manufacturing in the U.S. in the future."
The former ambassador is a former Asian and economic diplomat who served as the director of the Asian Economic Affairs Department of the White House National Security Council, the Korean Director of the State Department, and the US Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau. He is currently serving as a managing partner at strategic advisory consulting firm "The Asia Group (TAG)."
The former ambassador also advised President Trump to constantly awaken the utility and meaning of the Korea-U.S. alliance. "President Trump often forgets why the Korea-U.S. alliance is important," he said. "We need to induce his attention to be aligned with the purpose of the alliance."
The former ambassador suggested that President Trump's visit to Korea would create an opportunity to directly observe the South Korea-U.S. joint military drills. "(By observing the joint exercise), we can demonstrate an ironclad South Korea-U.S. joint defense posture." President Trump will be able to visually feel the purpose and reason of the alliance," he explained. He also said that it is necessary to systematize and visualize the concept so that he can convince President Trump about "extended deterrence," a strategy to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
Regarding security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, he said, "1+1+1 can be 5 or 6 degrees," adding that the security cooperation system established by the three countries can be a strong deterrent to North Korea in itself. However, it was considered that the existence of President Trump, who focuses on "dealing" rather than allies in the three-way security cooperation, may be a risk factor. Because of this, communication and cooperation between Korea and Japan became more important. In fact, Korea and Japan have the same problems as President Trump's offensive to raise defense cost-sharing and the possibility of withdrawing U.S. troops from Korea and Japan.
In particular, the former ambassador emphasized that this year's Gyeongju APEC summit should be actively used as an opportunity to strengthen and develop strategic cooperation between South Korea and the United States.
"APEC is a very useful means for (South Korea) to make a positive impression on the United States," he said. "If President Trump decides that successful negotiations with South Korea and Asian countries are possible with the attendance of APEC, he will decide to visit South Korea." "About September, Korean companies and the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy came to the United States and said, 'Korea wants to invest more in the United States. If you say 'come to APEC', it can be a good message to persuade President Trump," he advised.
[Reporter Kim Sung Hoon]
