White House calls South Korea election ‘fair'
US secretary of state Marco Rubio issued a statement congratulating Lee Jae-myung and, like the White House, spoke of the two countries' 'ironclad' alliance. (EPA Images pic)
WASHINGTON : The White House said yesterday that South Korea's election, which saw liberal party candidate Lee Jae-myung win the presidency, was fair, but it expressed concern about Chinese interference.
'The US-ROK Alliance remains ironclad. While South Korea had a free and fair election, the US remains concerned and opposed to Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world,' a White House official said in an emailed response to a Reuters request for comment made at an earlier White House briefing.
'ROK' refers to the Republic of Korea.
The official did not elaborate on the reference to alleged Chinese interference or connect it directly to the South Korean election.
However, US President Donald Trump's right-wing allies have taken aim at Lee, who has spoken of the need to balance Seoul's relations with China and the US.
Laura Loomer, a far-right activist who has jockeyed her way up from online agitator to self-appointed Trump adviser, posted 'RIP South Korea' on X yesterday after Lee's victory became clear.
'The communists have taken over Korea and won the presidential election today,' she wrote. 'This is terrible,' she added.
Loomer has shown herself to be highly influential: Several high-ranking White House officials were fired this year after she presented Trump with a list of national security staffers she perceived to be disloyal.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio issued a statement congratulating Lee, and like the White House, spoke about the two countries' 'ironclad' alliance. He made no mention of concerns about China.
'The US and the Republic of Korea share an ironclad commitment to the Alliance grounded in our Mutual Defense Treaty, shared values, and deep economic ties.
'We are also modernising the Alliance to meet the demands of today's strategic environment and address new economic challenges,' Rubio said.
Rubio also said the US would continue to deepen trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan, 'to bolster regional security, enhance economic resilience, and defend our shared democratic principles.'
China policies under scrutiny
As South Korea's ousted former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, fought for his political life earlier this year, he raised unsubstantiated claims about possible fraud in South Korea's elections as one reason for his announcement of a martial law decree that had prompted his ouster.
His backers adopted 'Stop the Steal' slogans and expressed hopes that Trump would intervene to help, but that never came.
'Most of the 'election fraud' allegations I've seen reek of conspiracy theories and paranoia,' said Evans Revere, former US deputy ambassador for East Asian Affairs.
'It's unfortunate that a White House spokesman would allude to these, especially since Lee's margin of victory was substantial and his conservative opponent quickly and unhesitatingly conceded his loss,' Revere said.
Last week, without providing evidence, Trump ally Mike Flynn, a retired general who briefly served as the president's national security adviser during his first term, referred in a post on X to 'signs of fraud' in the South Korea election, and said a fraudulent outcome would only benefit the Chinese Communist Party.
Another Trump ally, Steve Bannon, explored a similar theme of Chinese election interference on his WarRoom channel last week.
'Lee's past comments about China, including his statement that a conflict over Taiwan would have nothing to do with South Korea, have provided fodder for those in the US government inclined to mistrust him,' said Revere.
His policy approach on China, Taiwan, Russia, Japan, and alliance- and trade-related concerns will be under close scrutiny in Washington and could lead to 'differences' between the two allies.
'In that context, the White House spokesman's comments could have been intended as a cautionary message to Korea's new president,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Asean leaders to deliberate Pakistan's bid for full dialogue partner status, says Anwar
PUTRAJAYA, June 7 — Pakistan's bid to become a full dialogue partner with Asean will be discussed with leaders of the regional grouping, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 'It will be brought up for discussion at the Asean leaders' conference,' he told reporters briefly after performing the Aidiladha prayers at the Putra Mosque here today. He said this when asked to comment on Pakistan's renewed efforts to elevate its partnership status with Asean. Yesterday, Pakistan's High Commissioner to Malaysia Syed Ahsan Raza Shah reportedly said that Islamabad is renewing its push to become a full dialogue partner, reflecting the country's commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and deepening engagement with the bloc. Pakistan, which became Asean's first sectoral dialogue partner in 1993, has consistently valued its cooperation with the regional grouping and aims to further expand those ties. In October last year, Anwar was quoted as saying that Malaysia fully supported Pakistan's efforts to become a full dialogue partner of Asean. Meanwhile, when asked about Pakistan welcoming his offer to mediate in the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, Anwar said Malaysia only hopes for a peaceful resolution. 'I have no role to play, I'm simply offering my opinion,' he said. Earlier, Anwar and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, performed the Aidiladha prayers alongside nearly 15,000 congregants at the Putra Mosque. Anwar, dressed in a light blue baju Melayu, arrived at 7.50 am and was greeted by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Dr Zulkifli Hasan. The Prime Minister also joined the congregation reciting the takbir raya before performing the Aidiladha prayers, led by the Grand Imam of the Putra Mosque Dr Muhamad Zakuwa Rodzali. He then listened to the Aidiladha sermon titled 'Korban dan Semangat Kebersamaan', which emphasised the importance of intention, proper conduct, and sincerity in performing the sacrificial ritual. Before departing, Anwar took time to mingle and shake hands with members of the congregation. — Bernama
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Nepal's US trade preference at risk amid growing tariff tensions
KATHMANDU: New tariff tensions could further undermine the modest gains of least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing states (SIDS) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), according to a recent report. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in its May publication titled 'Sparing the Vulnerable: The Cost of New Tariff Burdens', warns that these vulnerable economies could face some of the highest new US tariffs. This could lead to a decline in critical exports and pose substantial risks to their long-term development prospects. The report defines 'vulnerable economies' as LDCs, SIDS, and LLDCs—nations already struggling with structural economic and geographic disadvantages. 'US President Donald Trump is creating tariff uncertainty as a bargaining tactic in trade negotiations,' said Purushottam Ojha, a former commerce secretary. 'There is uncertainty in US tariff policy, with new tariffs being imposed, suspended, and then reinstated without predictable patterns.' Ojha noted that Nepal's trade benefits under the Nepal Trade Preference Programme are set to expire this year, potentially creating new hurdles for exporting goods to the US market. 'This tariff uncertainty increases the cost of trade, which can have a wider impact on economies that heavily rely on imports,' he said. 'The erratic US tariff policy is not a healthy sign for global trade.' The US recently increased tariffs on steel and aluminium from 25 per cent to 50 per cent and imposed 45–50 percent tariffs on products from several countries, though these have been temporarily suspended for 90 days. According to Ojha, one silver lining is that the tariff differential between Nepal and other countries has temporarily improved the competitiveness of Nepali goods. 'But with the implementation of new US tariffs still unclear, it's hard to rely on this advantage.' In the last fiscal year, Nepal recorded a trade deficit of Rs2.16 billion (US$15.8 million) with the US. According to the Department of Customs data, Nepal exported goods worth Rs17.31 billion to the US while imports totalled Rs19.48 billion. Top Nepali exports to the US included carpets, dog chew, felt goods, readymade garments for men and women, ceramic goods, pashmina, essential oils, musical instruments, handmade paper and cotton bags. Meanwhile, Nepal imported items such as soybeans, coal, oil cake, aircraft and helicopter parts, printed software manuals, artificial filament tow of cellulose acetate, laboratory and diagnostic equipment, wood pulp and almonds from the US. The US introduced the Nepal Trade Preference Programme after the April 2015 earthquake, granting duty-free access to 77 items to support economic recovery. However, trade experts say the preferential treatment has failed to significantly boost exports. The programme applies to 77 tariff lines: 56 textile products, ten footwear items, nine clothing goods and two fodder-related products. According to reports, as of Thursday (June 5), the average effective US tariff rate stands at 15.1 per cent, up sharply from the 2.5 per cent rate before the recent rounds of tariff increases. This rise results from ongoing trade disputes and retaliatory measures, contributing to a highly complex and volatile trade environment. Despite special provisions under multilateral trade rules, the participation of vulnerable economies in global trade remains minimal. They make up less than 0.5 per cent of total US imports and contribute insignificantly to US tariff revenue or trade deficits. According to the report, the least developed and landlocked developing countries account for only 1.3 per cent of global exports—a figure that has largely remained unchanged over the past three decades. This stagnation persists despite the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of significantly increasing the export share of developing countries, with a particular aim of doubling LDC exports by 2020. Instead, export growth for these nations has moved at a 'snail's pace' over the last 30 years, the report says. Though the US market is critical for the exports of these vulnerable economies, their footprint remains small. The report states that LDCs account for 8.9 per cent of total US exports and just 0.9 per cent of US imports. Similarly, LLDCs buy 2.1 per cent of US exports while supplying 0.2 per cent of imports. Regarding trade deficits, LDCs contribute 1.5 per cent to the US deficit, while LLDCs have a negative contribution of 0.2 per cent, meaning the US runs a trade surplus with them. The report emphasises that newly imposed US tariffs, which are layered and vary by the country, represent an added burden for these countries. Under new US tariffs announced between January and mid-May 2025, a ten per cent tariff has been applied across the board, excluding Canada, Mexico, and China. In 2023, the US imports from landlocked developing countries amounted to US$6.2 billion. Of this, 59 per cent of goods were subject to country-specific tariffs, while 41 per cent enjoyed exemptions. Imports from least developed countries stood at US$27.4 billion, with 93 per cent falling under country-specific tariffs and only seven per cent exempt. The exemptions mainly apply to primary goods such as vegetable products, footwear, foodstuffs, and headgear. The report warns that LDCs will bear the brunt of these new tariff policies. The trade-weighted average tariff the US applies to imports from LDCs is 43.9 per cent—far higher than the 7.3 per cent tariff those countries impose on US exports. For LLDCs, the US applies an average tariff of 17.1 per cent, compared to a 5.2 per cent tariff on US exports. The report concludes that shrinking preferential tariff margins threaten to erode export viability for dozens of vulnerable countries, potentially setting back years of slow but hard-earned progress in trade and development. - The Kathmandu Post/ANN
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Billion-dollar battery plant pauses construction in US amid electric vehicle, tariff uncertainty
NEW YORK: A Japanese company has halted construction on a US$1.6 billion factory in South Carolina to help make batteries for electric BMWs, citing 'policy and market uncertainty,' reported Xinhua quoting the Associated Press. 'While Automotive Energy Supply Corp. (AESC) didn't specify what those problems are, South Carolina's Republican governor said the company is dealing with the potential loss of federal tax breaks for electric vehicle buyers and incentives for EV businesses as well as tariff uncertainties from President Donald Trump's administration,' noted the report. 'What we're doing is urging caution -- let things play out because all of these changes are taking place,' Governor Henry McMaster said. AESC announced the suspension in construction of its plant in Florence on Thursday. 'Due to policy and market uncertainty, we are pausing construction at our South Carolina facility at this time,' the company's statement said. AESC promised to restart construction, although it didn't say when, and vowed to meet its commitment to hire 1,600 workers and invest US$1.6 billion. The company said it has already invested US$1 billion in the Florence plant. The battery maker based in Japan also has facilities in China, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany. In the United States, AESC has a plant in Tennessee and is building one in Kentucky. The statement didn't mention any changes with other plants.
