Lee reaffirms 'pragmatic national interest' diplomacy amid alliance-rift debate

President Lee Jae Myung's declaration Tuesday that South Korea must avoid "submissive or sycophantic attitudes in relations between nations" has been read in political circles as a renewed emphasis on his pragmatic, national-interest-first approach to diplomacy.

Speaking at the opening of a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee said South Korea's diplomatic posture is guided by "pragmatic diplomacy in the national interest," adding that the country's most important priority, as a sovereign and independent state, is its own national interest.

The remarks are seen as a response to growing concern in political circles over reports of friction between South Korean and US intelligence agencies, which have fueled talk of a rift in the alliance.

Some in the political arena interpreted the comments as Lee stressing the importance of finding common ground based on national interest, rather than simply criticizing differences between Seoul and Washington.

Lee also pointed to the ongoing trade negotiations with the United States as an example, saying it is important to "resolve disagreements between countries through goodwill toward our government and our nation, adjusting and compromising as needed."

"Among the many countries targeted for strategic investment, South Korea has probably negotiated the longest and reached the conclusion most aligned with its national interest," Lee said. "Didn't the Americans themselves acknowledge that our negotiators are 'very tough'? It's a complaint, but at the same time a compliment."

Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties have been locked in a fierce daily exchange over the alliance-rift debate. The clash continued at a national audit held by the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee in Washington, D.C., on Monday (local time), with lawmakers trading sharp words over the Lee administration's approach to relations with the United States.

The audit session began with the opposition holding a majority after Democratic Party lawmaker Jung Chung-rae, who had been part of the committee's Americas delegation, left for Europe over a visa issue. Opposition lawmakers criticized what they called a "crack in the South Korea-US alliance," citing disruptions to intelligence cooperation, while ruling party lawmakers pushed back, arguing that diplomatic challenges arising from shifts in the Donald Trump administration's foreign policy should not be characterized as an alliance rift.

People Power Party lawmaker Kim Geon, a former diplomat, said the Lee administration has failed to cultivate key figures among Trump's inner circle who support the alliance. "Pro-alliance forces within the Pentagon have also been weakened," he said.

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sung-jun rebuffed that framing, saying the Trump administration views alliances — including close security partnerships — through a transactional lens. "Beyond military security, America's America-first approach is bound to raise a significant number of issues on the economic front as well," he said.

Also at the session, South Korea's Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha addressed a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that wounded three South Korean soldiers, saying it "was clearly not an accident." She said the Joint Chiefs of Staff had determined the mine had not drifted from its original position, and that it was "clear" North Korea had planted it.

Asked about President Lee's use of the phrase "unexpected accident" to describe the incident, Kang said: "Looking at the Joint Chiefs' announcement, these were mines that were installed — and in such cases, they were placed with intent. In that sense, I do not consider it an accident."