"Invest in Alaska or Face Double the Cost": Trump Steps Up Blatant Pressure

[Anchor]

U.S. President Donald Trump has unilaterally claimed that he has secured South Korea's investment in an oil production expansion project worth over 11 trillion won. Previously, regarding the Alaska LNG project he announced earlier, he threatened to double the billed amount if the South Korean government does not agree.

This report comes from Washington, correspondent Lee Hanseok.

[Reporter]

U.S. President Trump stated via his social media that negotiations with South Korea continue to improve and that South Korea will invest in an enhanced oil recovery project worth $8.4 billion, approximately 11.3 trillion won.

Although it is a technology that injects carbon dioxide and other substances to extract remaining oil, he did not disclose the specific details or location of the project.

This is a carbon copy of his previous unilateral announcement of the $50 billion Alaska LNG project without an agreement with the South Korean government.

When the South Korean government expressed hesitation, stating nothing has been finalized, President Trump poured out blatant pressure tactics.

[Trump / U.S. President: If South Korea doesn't want to do the Alaska project, that's fine with me. We'll just charge them more.]

This is interpreted as a threatening remark implying that he would significantly increase burdens in other areas such as tariffs or defense costs.

President Trump has recently been releasing astronomical infrastructure plans, such as an Iowa steel mill and a large Alabama bridge.

U.S. media outlets pointed out that since the actual operation timing is after 2030, it is too late and insignificant as an election card to win back voters exhausted by high inflation and high interest rates.

Behind President Trump's desperate moves day after day lies a sense of electoral crisis caused by soaring oil prices.

As diesel prices exceeding $6.50 per gallon emerged as a major fuse, the Trump administration raised the level of pressure by even pulling out the card of an export ban toward Europe.

Eventually, the G7 held an emergency video conference and abruptly agreed to release 100 million barrels of strategic diesel and crude oil reserves into the market over the next 4 months.

Upon the news of the strategic reserve release, international oil prices reacted immediately, plunging 5% during intraday trading.

Attention is focused on whether the push-style investment announcements and the strategic reserve release card, which erupted right before the election, can lead to a rebound in the Trump administration's approval ratings.

(Camera: Oh Jung-shik | Video Editing: Won Hyung-hee)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.