S. Korea's Leader Faces Pivotal Test at First Summit with Trump as Alliance Is Strained

He Hopes to Chart a Path of Cooperating with the US Without Antagonizing China

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WASHINGTON/SEOUL - South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung faces a pivotal moment on Aug. 25 when he meets US President Donald Trump in Washington for their first summit, as the countries' decades-old alliance strains to tackle rapid geopolitical changes.

Much is riding on the meeting for Mr. Lee, who took office in June following a snap election called after his conservative predecessor—feted in Washington for his hard line on North Korea—was removed for attempting to impose martial law.

South Korea's economy relies heavily on the US. Washington underwrites the country's security with troops and nuclear deterrence, and Mr. Lee hopes to chart a balanced path of cooperating with the US while not antagonizing top trade partner China.

As he headed to the US, Mr. Lee sent a special delegation to Beijing, which delivered a message calling for normalized relations with China that have been strained in recent years.

South Korea has long come under targeted criticism from Mr. Trump, who has called it a "money machine" that takes advantage of American military protection.

Mr. Lee will seek to make a good impression, connect personally with Mr. Trump and, above all, avoid any unpleasant surprises, analysts said.

"For Lee, a no-news summit I think would be good," said Mr. Victor Cha of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.