Trump, Xi, and a “Pipe Dream”: Lee’s Worst Week?

South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung may have just had one of his worst weeks in office, bookended by visits from U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Xi summit, in particular, crystallized his dilemma: he was protested at home, snubbed by the North, and squeezed between the two superpowers.
The pressure from the U.S. and China was immense. Having just hosted Trump, Lee had to immediately pivot to Xi. This forced him to confront the U.S.-China rivalry head-on, raising the U.S.-allied THAAD missile system dispute with a Chinese leader who detests it. He also brought up Chinese sanctions on a U.S.-linked firm, further highlighting his “man-in-the-middle” problem.
Domestically, the visit was a public relations challenge. Hundreds of protesters rallied in Seoul against Chinese influence, directly challenging the friendly narrative Lee’s government tried to promote. Lee’s own past attempts to crack down on such protests only made the optics worse.
The most acute failure, however, came from North Korea. Lee’s primary diplomatic goal for the summit was to get Xi’s help in restarting dialogue with Pyongyang. This plan was not just rejected; it was mocked. North Korea’s public statement calling the effort a “pipe dream” was a personal and political blow to Lee.
The only bright spot, at least for China, was economic. Chinese state media focused on the seven new economic agreements signed, including a currency swap. While Xi called for “mutual respect,” the reality for Lee is a political landscape with very little respect and a multitude of dangers.