Bart Marcois, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy, is interviewed by News & Post (NNP) at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC) in Washington, D.C., on the 25th (local time). He spoke at a forum co-hosted by the Korean Conservative Political Action Conference (KCPAC) and the VOC on the theme of the "Crisis of Democracy in South Korea." / Photo = NNP-Korea-US-Japan Daily Joint Coverage.

It has been suggested that President Donald Trump may secure signatures for U.S. investment from Lee Jae-myung when he visits South Korea to attend the Gyeongju APEC summit.

Bart Marcois, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy and current head of MPIC, a firm providing consulting for public-private projects in Washington, D.C., revealed this during an interview with News & Post on Thursday, the 25th.

Marcois stated that if President Trump fails to obtain the signatures during his visit to Korea next month, South Korea will have "hell to pay." He further added that he expects President Trump to condemn the Lee Jae-myung administration over the suppression of Christian churches during his visit.

He pointed out that Lee Jae-myung "played games" with President Trump during their bilateral meeting on August 25, and that while Lee made many promises to the President, "those promises were clearly lies."

Previously, on August 18, Marcois co-authored an op-ed in the Daily Caller with Carla Sands, former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark and a member of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), stating, "President Trump is offering Lee Jae-myung a golden opportunity," and that "Lee Jae-myung must make a choice."

The op-ed noted that Lee, "intoxicated by nearly absolute control, is acting like an old-fashioned communist government," citing his harsh treatment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol and the arrest of First Lady Kim Keon-hee on corruption charges.

It also noted that Lee, by trying to deal with both China and the U.S. simultaneously, is "playing the most dangerous game against the South Korean people" and is "seeking to consolidate power."

In the op-ed, he wrote, "If South Korea implements the Korea-U.S. trade agreement, it will have to stop supplying engines to the Chinese navy. This will provoke China's anger and deepen the conflict between the two countries. Conversely, if South Korea does not abandon its Chinese military business, the U.S. will be angered."

Marcois told News & Post, "Before Lee Jae-myung came here, I wrote an article telling him not to try to play games with President Trump. I said he would regret it. But it seems he didn't listen."

Marcois advised Korean-Americans and South Koreans to establish a foundation in Washington, D.C., to communicate with key institutions and officials.

He pointed out that communication must be directed at "not just Trump, but Congress, think tanks, and everyone who can influence President Trump and his cabinet," noting that existing exchange organizations are failing to fulfill their proper roles.

He added, "We need a solid, permanent foundation that can convey the message that 'South Korea is an ally of the United States. Let us work together as allies.'"

At the forum held prior to the interview, U.S. sanctions against South Korea were a topic of discussion. Marcois stated that he agrees with the opinion of Professor Morse Tan, mentioning first that "sanctions on individuals" would be "effective."

He mentioned that he is aware that the brother of the South Korean Prime Minister has sent his children to study in the U.S. and applied for citizenship, adding, "Their visas should be revoked immediately. Those who oppose the U.S., our enemies, should not be allowed to enter here." He then said, "Let them go to China. Let them go to Beijing. Let them go to Wuhan and see what it's like there."

In addition to visa revocation, he added that "strong financial sanctions" could be imposed, meaning they could be barred from transacting not only with U.S. banks but also with global banking systems that do business with U.S. banks.

He also noted that if they continue to engage in money laundering or other crimes, "they could be indicted, and funds obtained through criminal activity or transferred from the Chinese Communist Party could be frozen and ultimately seized."

Bart Marcois, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy, is interviewed by Hong Seong-gu (right), lead reporter for News & Post (NNP), on the 25th. / Photo = NNP-Korea-US-Japan Daily Joint Coverage.When asked about the next U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Marcois replied that he believes President Trump "will wait to see how far Lee Jae-myung goes with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) before deciding who to send, or whether to send anyone at all."

He added, "If he (Trump) sends no one, it is a sign of extreme displeasure," and remarked, "I wonder what instructions would be given to a new ambassador..." He assessed that, depending on the situation, the appointment of a U.S. Ambassador to South Korea might not happen at all; if this were to occur, it would be an unprecedented situation in history.

Marcois, who revealed that there are four or five names being discussed for the ambassadorship, mentioned that he knows two of them: Morse Tan, former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, and attorney Gordon Chang. He added that he would be pleased if either one of them were appointed.

Marcois urged people to pray and vote. He said, "Please pray for Trump every day," and asked for prayers so that when voices fighting for freedom in South Korea are raised, they can be seen and supported in the U.S.

He also urged Korean-Americans living in states where elections are held this year, including Virginia, to vote for the Republican Party to empower President Trump.

U.S. NNP = Lead Reporter Hong Seong-gu / Special Correspondent for NNP info@newsandpost.com