President Lee must dispatch Han Duck-soo as special envoy to Washington
Sending a special envoy to Washington is no longer a matter of protocol, but a strategic imperative. The envoy's role would be to engage directly with senior U.S. officials -- possibly even with President Trump himself -- to address a range of high-stakes issues, including tariff negotiations, defense cost-sharing and bilateral cooperation on trade, energy and investment.
Yet despite the urgency, reports indicate that the Lee Jae Myung administration is struggling to finalize its choice, as political debate and hesitation continue to delay the process.
According to media reports, some within the ruling camp are calling for a full reconsideration of the nomination. Kim Chong-in, the former interim leader of the conservative People Power Party and the reported nominee, has publicly expressed displeasure at this development stating, "Did I ever ask to be sent [as a special envoy]?"
The presidential office has offered only a vague response, likening the speculation to "being asked about a divorce before a wedding." These remarks suggest that Kim may have been tentatively considered, but mounting political resistance has likely caused the administration to retreat from that choice.
Meanwhile, with the Aug. 1 deadline fast approaching, the task of appointing a credible and effective envoy remains unresolved.
There is little time left. With Trump's tariff decision already formalized, South Korea must now act with urgency. The appointment of a special envoy is no longer optional -- it is a strategic necessity.
Whoever is chosen must be capable of navigating the complex political and economic landscape in Washington and engaging directly with senior U.S. officials on the full range of critical bilateral issues -- from tariffs and defense cost-sharing to investment and energy cooperation. In this context, the government must prioritize credibility, clarity and results.
That is why former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo emerges as a compelling choice. While Kim Chong-in is widely respected as a seasoned economic policymaker and negotiator, he may not be the right person for this delicate moment.
In 2021, he publicly criticized Trump on social media -- a fact that likely has not gone unnoticed in Washington. Trump, famously reactive to criticism and guided by a highly transactional worldview, recently doubled tariffs on Brazil after President Lula voiced opposition. Sending an envoy with a history of confrontation could risk derailing already fragile talks.
Han, on the other hand, has no prior personal relationship with Trump, but is said to have developed a warm rapport with him during a phone call. Trump reportedly praised Han's fluent English, perhaps sensing a sense of familiarity -- Han is a Harvard-trained economist, while Trump graduated from the Wharton School.
That small personal connection may make a big difference in setting the tone of the conversation. In a high-stakes negotiation, personal chemistry matters. Compared to Kim, Han is more likely to establish a constructive dialogue with Trump -- something South Korea urgently needs.
Beyond personal rapport, Han brings unmatched policy credentials. He is one of Korea's foremost experts in trade and economic diplomacy, having served across the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and as the country's first chief trade Nngotiator.
He also was ambassador to the United States, and uniquely, he has served as prime minister under progressive and conservative administrations --Roh Moo-hyun and Yoon Suk-yeol -- earning bipartisan respect.
From trade and security to American politics and protocol, Han is arguably the most qualified figure to handle a volatile and transactional counterpart like Trump. His greatest asset may be his ability to engage the U.S. president without a translator -- an advantage that cannot be overstated at the negotiating table.
The stakes are especially high. The envoy will not only be tasked with addressing tariffs, but also with resolving disputes over non-tariff barriers, securing investment opportunities like the Alaska LNG project and navigating difficult defense-related negotiations -- including cost-sharing for U.S. troops stationed in Korea.
Any misstep could have long-term consequences for Korea's economic and strategic position. And Trump is no ordinary interlocutor.
To understand who Trump is, one need only look back to a 2016 interview in a Korean newspaper. "I sleep 28 hours a week and read 28 hours a week," he said. He is not merely a real estate developer, but a lifelong student of negotiation strategy.
One of his favorite books is The Art of War by Sun Tzu, whose first principle is to win without fighting. In fact, Trump authored The Art of the Deal in 1987 -- a book that transformed him from an unknown businessman into a household name. Facing a leader like Trump requires more than policy expertise; it requires strategic insight and mental discipline.
Yet, sending Han as special envoy may seem politically unthinkable at this moment. From the perspective of many in Lee's coalition, Han is a deeply controversial figure. He served as prime minister under former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is currently in jail awaiting trial on treason charges following his administration's failed martial law declaration.
Han was seen by many progressives as being aligned with the previous government and even at odds with Lee himself. For some, nominating Han as envoy may appear to betray the spirit of political reform.
But this is precisely where Lee has a chance to lead. If he truly seeks national unity and international credibility, now is the time to rise above partisanship and prioritize the national interest.
Over the past few weeks, he has surprised many by making gestures of political inclusion -- retaining a minister from the previous administration, meeting with opposition leaders and even encouraging dialogue with the business community. These steps have stabilized markets, lifted investor confidence and helped push his approval rating above his election-day result.
Appointing Han as special envoy would be a natural extension of that leadership style. Whether or not Han succeeds in negotiations, the act of appointing him would signal the seriousness and maturity of the Lee administration to both domestic and international audiences. In moments like this, personal risk is often the price of statesmanship.
What's needed now is not just diplomacy -- but a decision.
Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
3 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rejects outreach by South
SEOUL — The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rebuffed overtures by South Korea's new liberal government, saying Monday that Pyongyang has no interest in talks with Seoul no matter what proposal its rival offers. Kim Yo Jong's comments suggest again that North Korea, now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia, has no intentions of returning to diplomacy with South Korea and the U.S. anytime soon. But experts said North Korea could change course if it thinks it cannot maintain the same close and fruitful ties with Moscow when the Russia-Ukraine war nears an end. 'We clarify once again the official stand that no matter what policy is adopted and whatever proposal is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it and there is neither a reason to meet nor an issue to be discussed' between the Koreas, Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state media. It is North Korea's first official statement on the government of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, which took office in early June. In an effort to improve badly frayed ties with North Korea, Lee's government has halted anti-Pyongyang frontline loudspeaker broadcasts, taken steps to ban activists from flying balloons with propaganda leaflets across the border and repatriated North Koreans who drifted south in wooden boats months earlier. Kim Yo Jong called such steps 'sincere efforts' by Lee's government to develop ties. But she said the new government in Seoul won't be much different from its predecessors, citing what it calls a 'blind trust' in the military alliance with the U.S. and attempts to 'stand in confrontation' with North Korea. She mentioned the upcoming summertime South Korea-U.S. military drills, which North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. North Korea has been shunning talks with South Korea and the U.S. since leader Kim Jong Un's high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with President Trump fell apart in 2019 due to wrangling over international sanctions. North Korea has since focused on building more powerful nuclear weapons. The North now prioritizes cooperation with Russia by sending troops and conventional weapons to support its war against Ukraine, probably in return for economic and military assistance. The South, the U.S. and others say Russia may even give Pyongyang sensitive technologies that can enhance its nuclear and missile programs. Since beginning his second term in January, Trump has repeatedly boasted of his personal ties with Kim Jong Un and expressed intent to resume diplomacy with him. But North Korea hasn't publicly responded to Trump's overture. In early 2024, Kim Jong Un ordered the rewriting of the constitution to remove the long-running state goal of a peaceful Korean unification and to cement South Korea as an 'invariable principal enemy.' That caught many foreign experts by surprise because it was seen as eliminating the idea of shared statehood between the war-divided Koreas and breaking with his predecessors' long-cherished dreams of peacefully achieving a unified Korea on the North's terms. Many experts say Kim Jong Un probably aims to guard against South Korean cultural influence and bolster his family's dynastic rule. Others say he wants legal room to potentially use his nuclear weapons against South Korea by casting it as a foreign enemy state, not a partner for potential unification that shares a sense of national homogeneity. Kim writes for the Associated Press.
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jasmine Crockett unleashes on Ghislaine Maxwell talking to Trump DOJ before Congress: ‘Out of jail for free'
Rep. Jasmime Crockett wants Ghislaine Maxwell — who is serving a 20-year sentence for aiding sex trafficking financier Jeffrey Epstein — to testify before Congress before she speaks under oath to the Trump Justice Department. US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, will meet with Maxwell on Thursday in Florida, where she is serving out her two-decade sentence for scheming with the late pedophile power-player to sexually exploit and abuse young women and girls. The meeting comes just a day after the House Oversight Committee, on which Crockett sits, voted to subpoena Maxwell. On Wednesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued a subpoena and set Maxwell's deposition date for Aug. 11. 'I don't know that we'll get anywhere, but I know if there's anybody that I want to talk to her, it is us — and not the administration — because at least if she comes before the committee, even if it's behind closed doors, it will be bipartisan,' Crockett, a frequent Trump antagonist, told The Independent. 'It won't just be one side able to ask questions, it'd be both sides, whereas the administration, they're a bunch of thugs,' she railed. 'And frankly, if it means that she can engage in a coverup, he'll most likely let her out of jail free. He's let people out of jail for far less.' This comes after the Department of Justice released a two-page memo on July 6 saying that Epstein, the convicted pedophile, had no 'client list' and died of suicide in his New York City jail cell, where he was found hanged by bed sheets. But Crockett, who spoke to The Independent before Comer issued his subpoena, also cautioned that she did not know if they would actually hear testimony from the once high-flying former socialite Maxwell. 'I don't know if she has appeals that are pending, and I'm sure that her attorneys will have some issues, some questions surrounding so it's more complicated than just subpoenaing her,' the Democrat said. 'We can subpoena all we want to. We have had a number of transcribed interviews as well as depositions over the last two weeks, and frankly, a lot of them ended with nothing because people invoked privilege and things like that.' Crockett has become a fundraising dynamo because of her combative style of questioning on the Oversight Committee and her willingness to joust with Republicans in the majority. But she recently lost her bid to replace the late Gerry Connolly (D-VA) as the top Democrat on the committee to Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA). Garcia told The Independent that subpoenaing Maxwell does not mean the committee trusts her to be truthful. 'She's a documented liar, she's obviously done an enormous amount to harm young girls and and and has an interest, of course, in, in being free,' Garcia said. 'We should still want to have her come testify in front of oversight in the Congress, but, but we should just be very we should understand that this is a very complex witness and someone that has caused great harm and not a good person to a lot of people.' The House of Representatives broke a day early after the House Rules Committee ground itself to a halt because Democrats continued offering amendments to release files related to Epstein. In an attempt to mollify Democrats and some conservatives, Republicans proposed a non-binding House resolution to get the Department of Justice to release files. In addition, Rep. Thomas (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) have a discharge petition, which would force a vote and circumvent Speaker Mike Johnson, to release files related to Epstein. Massie, a critic of Trump, accused Johnson of covering for the president. 'He doesn't want a paper-thin sliver of daylight between him and the president, and so that's why he's avoided taking even the symbolic vote on the non-binding resolution,' Massie told The Independent. Trump, a friend of Epstein's for many years before a falling out that appears to have come before it was publicly known the financier was being investigated over his sex trafficking, has criticized his supporters and others for focusing on the Epstein case. He also vehemently denied a story in The Wall Street Journal that he sent Epstein a note for the disgraced financier and predator's 50th birthday party and also filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the newspaper and its owners News Corp and Rupert Murdoch, among others.
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump is losing support from men as approval rating drops below 50%
Men are cooling on Donald Trump after making up a significant chunk of the president's 2024 voting bloc. According to a new poll by CBS/YouGov, Trump's approval rating is tanking with men during his second term. It found that 47 percent of men approve of Trump's job, and 53 percent do not. Last October — just before Trump's second electoral victory — a similar CBS/YouGov poll found that 54 percent of men supported Trump and 64 percent said they thought he would be a strong leader. The drop overall reflects a broader disapproval with Trump's second term; DecisionDeskHQ's polling averages showed that the president's overall approval rating was down by about 12 points since January, a drop from 56 percent then to 44 percent this week. According to the new CBS/YouGov poll, 47 percent of men said Trump was focusing "too much" on deportations, while 33 percent said he was showing the "right amount" of focus. In another metric, 65 percent of men said Trump has not done enough to lower prices, and only 29 percent said they felt he had. On February 7, Trump had a 60 percent approval rating with men, but his numbers began to slip in the months that followed, according to the poll. By the end of the month, his favorability had dropped to 56 percent, and by April 11 — just a week after he unveiled his tariff plan — men's approval of the president fell to 49 percent. Trump won big with men in 2024. According to Pew Research, men favored Trump by 12 points in 2024. Men under 50 split their votes almost evenly between former Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump. In 2020, men under 50 backed former President Joe Biden over Trump by 10 points. According to the CBS/YouGov polling data, the big issues driving down Trump's approval with men are his performance on the economy, his seeming inability to curb inflation, and his intense focus on immigration issues. By mid-April, Trump's approval rating among men on the economy dropped to minus 10 points, his approval regarding inflation fell to minus 20, and his immigration approval — one of his strongest areas among men — dropped to just plus six points, The poll found that 49 percent of men believe that the economy is getting worse, and 65 percent said that Trump wasn't doing enough to lower prices for goods and services. Another 60 percent said they believe Trump is focusing too much on tariffs, and 57 percent believe his policies are directly increasing the cost of their groceries. They aren't wrong about their grocery bills; Consumer Price Index data shows that annual inflation rose by 2.7 percent in June, up from 2.4 percent in May. They're also not wrong about Trump's tariffs, according to Yale's Budget Lab. Americans are currently facing an average tariff rate of 18.7 percent, which is the highest it has been since 1933. The three key issues driving down Trump's approval rating were the major issues that attracted men to Trump in the first place, according to the poll. That could spell trouble for Republicans come the midterm elections if they do not adjust their focus and messaging before the election. Trump's dipping approval comes at a difficult time for him, as even some stalwart supporters among his voter base and within his party are questioning him over his handling of the alleged "Epstein client list." The president promised to be transparent about what the government knew of disgraced New York financier and child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein — a man who had a long and well-documented friendship with Trump. After U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told the public she had the so-called client list on her desk, the administration backtracked and insisted no such file existed, and confirming previous rulings that Epstein died by suicide in his New York jail cell while awaiting trial. Trump has reacted with dismissal and annoyance toward Republicans — and his own voters — who have asked him questions about his administration's position on the Epstein documents. Since then, Trump has faced questions and criticism from his voting base and within the conservative cultural sphere that helped sell his vision for America to the public — especially men.
