MAGA Gathers Clouds Over Seoul, Tokyo

Japan and South Korea are preparing for the second Trump administration, anticipating demands for increased financial burden-sharing for US troops stationed in the two countries and imposing tariffs on Asian imports. Trump’s call for Seoul to pay significantly more for hosting US troops, as well as his interest in restarting talks with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, raises concerns among South Korean officials. In Japan, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is focused on China’s military activities around Taiwan and North Korea’s involvement in the Ukraine war, while the Biden administration has initiated a tripartite security partnership with Japan and South Korea to address regional security challenges.

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