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Growing US-South Korea tensions spill over into intelligence, business fronts
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US President Donald Trump (left) with South Korea President Lee Jae Myung at the special dinner at APEC 2025 in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Oct 29, 2025.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
SEOUL – Tensions between Seoul and Washington that began with disagreements over defence and trade have now evolved into broader unease, with disagreements over intelligence-sharing on North Korea and commercial regulation exposing deeper strains.
South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said during a press briefing on April 23 that both Seoul and Washington are in close communication to resolve “misunderstandings”, including over Unification Minister Chung Dong-young’s public March 6 revelation of an unconfirmed North Korean uranium enrichment site.
