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In South Korea, a Small But Notable Backlash Against Trump

William Gallo

   SEOUL - It's no secret U.S. President Donald Trump can sometimes be
   nicer to his country's perceived enemies than its friends. But Trump's
   unorthodox negotiating style appears to be wearing thin in South Korea,
   especially among conservatives, who are increasingly willing to
   criticize the U.S. leader.

   In recent weeks there has been a small but notable backlash among South
   Korean conservatives, traditionally the most reliably pro-U.S.
   contingent, as Trump continues to flatter North Korean leader Kim Jong
   Un while pressuring South Korea's government over military cost-sharing
   negotiations.

   It's not a new strategy. Trump has praised his "friend" Kim for more
   than a year, as he tries to convince the North Korean leader to give up
   his nuclear weapons. But with talks stalled yet again and Kim
   intensifying provocations against Seoul, some in South Korea are losing
   patience.

   Earlier this month, South Korean human rights activists accused Trump
   of ignoring North Korean human rights abuses when he praised Kim's
   "great and beautiful vision for his country."

   Some conservatives express concern that Trump is giving Kim too much
   latitude to develop weapons by saying he has "no problem" with North
   Korea's recent ballistic missile launches. Though short-range, the
   missiles can reach anywhere in South Korea.

   Others were alarmed when Trump again agreed with North Korea's
   characterization of U.S.-South Korean military exercises, calling them
   "ridiculous and expensive."

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