Edith Hejberg
Industry Minister Kim Jung-wan revealed two key tips for dealing with Trump: call him a “great person” and keep language short and simple. “President Trump’s way of speaking is very concise and direct,” Kim said. “We tried to match that.”
South Korea’s top ministers faced a high-stakes challenge: negotiate a trade deal directly with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Knowing Trump’s unpredictable style, the delegation meticulously prepared, down to rehearsing how to talk like him.
The Core Advice: Praise and Simplicity
Industry Minister Kim Jung-wan revealed two key tips for dealing with Trump: call him a “great person” and keep language short and simple. “President Trump’s way of speaking is very concise and direct,” Kim said. “We tried to match that.”
Role-Playing as Trump
In an unusual twist, each minister, including Kim, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, took turns pretending to be Trump during mock negotiation sessions.
The goal? Anticipate his style, tone, and likely questions.
A Crash Course in Trump-Speak
The team studied Trump’s speech patterns, focusing on short sentences, strong statements, and direct questions.
They even practiced answering unexpected queries on the spot—something Trump is famous for throwing at negotiators.
Stakes for South Korea’s Economy
As a major export-driven nation, South Korea had a lot riding on the talks.
The ministers had only been in office for weeks following President Lee Jae-Myung’s snap-election win in June, adding urgency to their preparation.
Finding Out via Social Media
One surprise? The ministers didn’t officially know the meeting with Trump was confirmed until they saw it posted on social media.
It underscored the unpredictability of working with the Trump administration.
The Half-Hour That Mattered
The actual meeting lasted just about 30 minutes.
But by all accounts, the groundwork paid off, negotiations flowed smoothly, with no awkward pauses or missteps.
Borrowing U.S. Playbooks
Finance Minister Koo said they had studied American negotiation tactics in detail beforehand. “We collected a lot of strategies used by our counterparts and thought carefully about how to respond,” he explained.
Trump’s Personal Engagement
Commerce officials noted that Trump rarely meets foreign ministers who aren’t heads of state.
His willingness to do so for South Korea was taken as a sign of deep respect and importance placed on the relationship.
A “Master Negotiator” in the Room
Kim called Trump a “master negotiator,” a nod both to Trump’s reputation and the delegation’s strategy of showing deference.
Complimenting Trump was not just politeness, it was part of the plan.
