Trump Pressures South Korea: Double the Charges If No Deal on Alaska Investment

U.S. President Donald Trump bluntly pressured South Korea on the 2nd (local time), stating that if South Korea does not wish to invest in the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, he will force the country to shoulder a much higher financial burden.

Meeting with reporters at the White House that day, President Trump responded to a question regarding South Korea not having finalized its investment in the Alaska project by saying, "I didn't announce it prematurely."

President Trump stated, "If they don't want to do it, that's fine with me. I'll just charge them more."

He then asked the reporter who posed the question, "Are you telling me they didn't make a deal?" and added, "Tell them that if they don't make a deal soon, I'm going to double the charges."

While President Trump did not specify what he intended to charge them for, his remarks are interpreted as suggesting that if South Korea declines to participate in the Alaska LNG project, he could increase economic pressure in other areas, such as tariffs.

Previously, President Trump unilaterally announced that the South Korean government would invest in the 50-billion-dollar Alaska LNG project.

The South Korean government maintains that the Alaska LNG project is merely under review and that its participation has not been finalized.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.