In this live Q&A at the 1st Channel A CHAIRS Forum on October 21, 2025, KEI President and CEO Scott Snyder answers questions from Yonsei University’s Youngshik Bong about U.S.–South Korea relations under Presidents Donald Trump and Lee Jae Myung. The conversation ranges from the APEC Summit’s role in upcoming tariff talks and the impact of Trump’s negotiation style to questions about whether new trade deals mark the start of a long-term economic reordering. President Snyder discusses the Supreme Court case on IEEPA authority, the meaning of “engagement without confrontation,” and the personal and diplomatic dynamics between Trump and Lee. He also assesses Lee Jae Myung’s first months in office, prospects for modernizing the alliance, and the intersection of trade, security, and U.S. domestic politics—including how the midterm elections could shape Washington’s Indo-Pacific policies.

[KEI is registered under the FARA as an agent of the KIEP, a public corporation established by the government of the Republic of Korea. Additional information is available at the U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.]