Just before his meeting with Lee Jae-myung on August 25, 2025, President Trump shocked many by posting on social media that South Korea was undergoing a "purge" and a "revolution," stating that he could not conduct business there. During the pre-meeting disclosed to the press, President Trump mentioned the search and seizure raids on Korean churches and the illegal intelligence-gathering activities at U.S. military bases. In response, Lee Jae-myung remained silent on the oppression of churches, while offering a hackneyed and incredibly awkward excuse regarding the illegal intelligence gathering at U.S. bases—claiming it was an independent decision by the special prosecutor he appointed, Cho Eun-seok, to investigate treason, and that the intent was to acquire information on the South Korean military, not the U.S. military, and therefore outside his control. Trump immediately retorted by asking if that special prosecutor wasn't the same type of person as Jack Smith, who investigated him, which drew loud laughter from the attendees who had previously maintained a somber atmosphere. This biting satire served as a refreshing tonic for Trump’s aides and the media, who saw it as a sharp rebuke of Lee’s dishonest excuses. Conversely, for Lee Jae-myung and his delegation—who did not even know who Jack Smith was—it was a stunning and perplexing comeback. Trump went a step further, retorting to Lee by suggesting, "Why don't you just hand over the land ownership of the U.S. military bases in South Korea?" This was a profound proposition that Lee would find impossible to either affirm or deny. In his opening remarks, Lee had already resorted to clichés and sycophantic language, suggesting that Korea should develop from a mere military ally into a substantial partner in various fields, including science, technology, and economy. Furthermore, considering that Chinese citizens have purchased vast amounts of land in South Korea—not only residential and agricultural land but also extensive territory surrounding the Yongsan presidential residence—Lee, in the interest of consistency with China, ought to accept Trump’s proposal if he truly wishes to strengthen the cooperative ties he first proposed to the U.S. In fact, it might be more desirable to transfer the land titles for all bases currently used by the U.S. military at a nominal cost or for free, considering the leverage this would provide in reducing the current, unreasonable demands for massive investment. Let’s be honest: Does the declaration of martial law by former President Yoon constitute an act of insurrection? The dictionary definition of insurrection is an act of rebellion aimed at seizing state power through violent means. How can a president who already holds the highest authority of the state commit insurrection? Had he performed even a single illegal act or harmed citizens through martial law, there might have been grounds for prosecution, even if not for treason. However, he followed the National Assembly’s recommendation to lift martial law just three hours after its declaration. What kind of insurrection is that? I do not wish to rehash the issues of insurrection and impeachment, but given that the Lee Jae-myung regime and the Democratic Party of Korea used their legislative monopoly to force the president's impeachment, and that the Constitutional Court accepted only the unproven claims of the plaintiff (the Democratic Party) to forcibly remove the president, should not the charge of insurrection be applied to the Democratic Party and Lee Jae-myung instead? How can he offer such excuses in front of the U.S. President? An independent decision to investigate charges of insurrection? Did this "Lee Jae-myung special prosecutor" (properly known as the Cho Eun-seok special prosecutor, but acting as one appointed by Lee) seek understanding from President Trump prior to the raids? Under the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty, if one country fails to comply with a unilateral demand from another, Korea has absolutely no authority to investigate U.S. forces stationed in Korea. It is interpreted that President Trump, fully aware of this fact, expressed his deep frustration on social media prior to the meeting.

President Trump's mention of a "purge" and "revolution" in South Korea may have served as a bargaining tool to squeeze more punitive costs from the Lee Jae-myung regime, which has outraged the public with its bizarre, leftist dictatorial abuses. However, in my view, the primary purpose was to convey a message to the free citizens of South Korea, who are forced to bear the burden of this suffering. This is evidenced by the fact that no formal agreements on tariffs or investment were announced in writing, no joint statements were issued after the meeting, and President Trump did not even see off Lee Jae-myung’s party as they left. If Trump’s sole intention had been to negotiate a more favorable deal for the U.S., he would have announced the results on the spot as he has done in the past. It is more persuasive to conclude that there was a silent message hidden within, urging the free citizens of South Korea to reflect.

First, regarding the Lee regime’s suppression of churches. The search and seizure of Pastor Kwang-hoon Jeon’s Sarang Jeil Church, along with the raids targeting the relief lobbying of Pastor Jang-hwan Kim (Chairman of Far East Broadcasting Company) and Pastor Young-hoon Lee (Senior Pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church) during the special investigation into the 2023 Marine Corporal Chae tragedy, are clearly acts of dictatorial oppression by the current regime. President Trump’s mention of this was not merely because he is a devout Christian who values human rights; rather, it was a warning that he could take appropriate measures if Lee, upon returning to Korea, continues the ruthless suppression of the countless free citizens who have autonomously called for opposing the impeachment and invalidating the Constitutional Court’s ruling. At the same time, it provides moral justification for the Korean people to continue their struggle against the regime. This is validated by precedents such as when the U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on Brazil's former regime for its suppression of opponents, or the threat of military retaliation against Venezuela for assisting in U.S. election interference. In other words, the free citizens of South Korea must read this message from President Trump as a source of momentum to resist the Lee Jae-myung regime, which was elected through lies and manipulation, and must engage in the struggle against this immoral leftist regime with greater confidence.

Second, by sternly rebuking the illegal acquisition of information regarding U.S. military bases, Trump signaled that to uphold the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty—so firmly established by the Syngman Rhee and Yoon Suk-yeol administrations—pro-China, treacherous acts such as the withdrawal of U.S. troops or the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) will be strictly prohibited. There are even rumors that the information illegally extracted from the U.S. military was immediately handed over to the Chinese Communist Party. Considering the trajectory of the Lee Jae-myung regime in its first 100 days, this possibility cannot be ruled out. Once established, the ROK-U.S. military alliance serves as a necessary mechanism to put the brakes on the anti-national, anti-liberal actions of the Lee government, which seeks to hand over entire industries to China through various socialist legislative measures. The Trump administration, having declared a total war against China's atrocities, cannot allow this precious ally, the Republic of Korea, to be handed over to the fraudulently elected Lee Jae-myung regime overnight. Through this statement by Trump, we, the Korean people, must firmly trust in our free-world ally, the United States, and prepare ourselves more thoroughly against the outrages of China and North Korea.

Any tariff or investment agreement reached with Lee Jae-myung is unlikely to be honored or sustained long-term. Given his track record, his nature as a habitual liar will not change. I trust that President Trump recognizes this. Historically, there are countless precedents where agreements with communists—not just Lee Jae-myung—have not been kept. We, the free citizens, have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the Trump presidency. There is no reason to be afraid of Lee’s future oppression. Even China’s Xi Jinping is on the verge of collapse. There is no reason for the Republic of Korea to perish before China does. To prevent this, our people and free citizens must continue their resolute struggle against the fraudulent Lee regime, armed with a phoenix-like spirit, self-confidence, and a sense of responsibility for our future generations. If we are prepared to fight to the death now, we can avoid a miserable existence as slaves in the future. We must grasp the true meaning behind President Trump’s warning regarding the "purge" and "revolution" under Lee Jae-myung.