"Even the Next Administration If Necessary"... Why Vance and Trump Are Pressuring South Korea

[Anchor]

Following U.S. President Trump, Vice President Vance has strongly expressed his determination to push forward with the Alaska LNG project, repeatedly applying pressure on South Korea. He asserted that if the current administration does not follow through, the project will be completed even under the next administration, a move analyzed to stem from a desperate midterm election landscape.

Washington correspondent Jeon Byeong-nam has the details.

[Reporter]

On the 6th (local time), U.S. Vice President Vance attributed the differences in stance with the South Korean government over the Alaska LNG development project to "political dynamics within South Korea" during an interview with an Alaska local broadcaster.

It was a veiled reference to the differing positions between Seoul and Washington just a day after he stated that "there are still things to coordinate with South Korea." At the same time, he pinned down that the project will be completed no matter what.

[JD Vance / U.S. Vice President: Whether it's the current South Korean government, the next administration, or by cooperating with other countries like Japan, we will make this development happen.]

Alaska is a traditional Republican stronghold, but uncertainty has grown as recent polls have shown Democrats with the upper hand.

Because losing Alaska could strip the Republicans of their Senate majority, a desperate Trump has been followed by Vance in pressuring South Korea for investment in the Alaska LNG project.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President (local time, Oct. 2): Tell them (South Korea) that if they don't make a deal soon, we'll double the cost. You know that?]

However, outlooks for the midterm elections are growing cloudier as time passes.

Amid public backlash driven by war and rising inflation, reports have emerged that 41 out of Republican candidates in 62 battleground districts for the House and Senate midterms are either breaking with President Trump on policy or trying to downplay their relationship with him.

[Mike Rogers / Republican Senate Candidate for Michigan: Diesel prices are surpassing six dollars. The best option right now is to gradually wrap things up (regarding the war with Iran).]

Republican Senate candidates such as Susan Collins of Maine have even rejected campaign support rallies from Trump.

Because of this, some U.S. media outlets are raising the possibility that if the Republicans suffer a crushing defeat in the midterm elections, President Trump could face a lame-duck phase from within his own party.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
Reported by Jeon Byeong-nam | Video by Oh Jeong-shik | Video Editing by Lee So-young | Graphics by Byun Da-young
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.