Washington, Aug 20
US President Donald Trump has criticised South Korea for declining to help Washington in the Strait of Hormuz while questioning large military exercises directed at North Korea, exposing tensions over how Seoul shares regional and global security responsibilities.
Trump said he was displeased by South Korea’s response when the United States sought assistance in securing the vital energy passage.
“I was not happy when South Korea said, no, they’re not interested in helping us with the Hormuz Strait, and yet they get 60 per cent of their oil from the Hormuz Strait,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“I said, 'Would you like to help us?' He said, no, thank you. I said that's nice, please, thank you,” he said.
The President linked Seoul’s position on Hormuz to his concerns about large-scale military exercises on the Korean Peninsula. He suggested that holding the drills was inappropriate while he was trying to maintain a working relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
“I felt that to do a massive -- we were doing a massive war exercise. I thought that was very insulting to somebody that frankly has been, during my term at least, very well-behaved,” Trump said.
Asked whether denuclearisation remained his objective in seeking renewed engagement with Kim, Trump declined to directly address the question.
“Well, I don't want to talk about that, but I do have a good relationship with Kim Jong-un, as you know, you've seen,” he said.
Trump contrasted his relationship with Kim with that of previous US presidents, claiming the personal rapport had made the United States and its Asian allies safer.
“He didn't like Biden, he didn't like Obama, he didn't like anybody, but he likes me, and I like -- you know, I just got along with him very good,” Trump said. “We had great meetings, we speak.”
“And I think our nation and I think other nations, frankly, whether it's Japan or South Korea, they're a lot safer if I'm President than if somebody else is President,” he added.
Trump also expressed opposition to exercises that North Korea could interpret as preparation for a conflict.
“Now, I didn't like the fact that we're doing these massive military exercises really against North Korea,” he said. “It was, you know, an exercise against North Korea.”
The President argued that his relationship with Kim reduced the immediate threat of hostilities, although he did not explain what diplomatic engagement was underway or whether formal negotiations would resume.
“When I'm friendly with him, when we have -- I don't see anything happening for certainly two and a half years, it's not going to happen with me, but I don't see anything happening,” Trump said.
His comments came after he said North Korea possessed about 57 nuclear weapons and was continuing to expand its nuclear programme. He did not offer details supporting that estimate during the exchange.
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