Pro-Trump commentator calls sale 'best way' for Seoul to repair ties with Washington

Analysts see broader pressure campaign on South Korea to do more, regardless of missile sale

US President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, on Friday (local time). [AFP]
US President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, on Friday (local time). [AFP]

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Donald Trump shared on Truth Social a column arguing that South Korea should sell its domestically developed medium-range surface-to-air missile system, the Cheongung-II — often called the "Korean Patriot" — to Ukraine. The move is being closely watched as a possible attempt to pressure Seoul into the sale. Analysts say the post may also reflect a broader intent to push South Korea to contribute more to US-led efforts, even if the Cheongung-II is not the specific target.

Trump shared the column Friday (local time) via Truth Social. The piece, published in The Washington Post and written by Marc Thiessen — a commentator known to advise Trump — was titled "How Trump can help Ukraine make its own Patriot missiles."

In the column, Thiessen argued that even if Ukraine were granted a US license to produce Patriot missiles, it would still need additional interceptors immediately. "To meet this urgent need, Trump should pressure South Korea to sell Ukraine M-SAM II (Cheongung-II) — also known as the 'Korean Patriot' — from its own stockpiles," he said.

The Cheongung-II is a cornerstone of South Korea's missile defense architecture. Developed to counter aerial threats including North Korean ballistic missiles, it completed operational deployment in 2024.

Thiessen said "Trump is already justifiably angry at South Korea for refusing to support operations in the Strait of Hormuz," and went on to say that Seoul had "no better way to repair the relationship" and that the sale would relieve the United States of the burden of supplying Ukraine with interceptors itself.

Thiessen also said the sale would serve South Korea's own national interests, arguing it would give Seoul a chance to test the Cheongung-II's performance against North Korean missiles used in attacks on Ukraine.

Thiessen acknowledged South Korea's position that legal restrictions bar it from selling weapons to countries at war, but countered that Seoul is already selling the Cheongung-II to the UAE — which he described as also being at war. He used the UAE's emergency airlift of Cheongung-II units to defend against Iranian attacks as the basis for that argument, and cited it to justify a similar sale to Ukraine.

"This is an opportunity for South Korea to step up and prove it is a reliable ally," Thiessen added.

Thiessen's broader argument was that Ukraine should be granted a Patriot production license. Trump had publicly pledged to do so in early July, only to walk back the commitment later that month, saying in effect that nothing had been agreed and that caution was needed.

Thiessen defended Trump's reversal, citing legitimate concerns that cutting-edge technology could fall into enemy hands — noting that sharing Patriot manufacturing know-how with Ukraine risked it reaching Russia, Iran, North Korea and China. As an alternative, he proposed allowing Ukraine to co-produce a new, lower-cost Patriot PAC-3 ACE variant that would not include the most advanced features.

Trump shared only the column's headline and link on Truth Social, without adding any comment of his own. Still, analysts say the act of sharing it may signal an intent to pressure South Korea into selling the Cheongung-II to Ukraine. Trump typically reposts coverage and opinion pieces that he finds favorable or agreeable.

Some observers also suggest Trump may have shared the column in a more general sense — to press South Korea for "additional contributions" beyond any specific weapons system. Trump has publicly criticized South Korea, Japan and NATO member states for what he has characterized as a lack of cooperation over the Iran conflict.

Similar calls have recently emerged from within US conservative circles. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served in Trump's first administration, said last month that Ukraine urgently needed interceptor missiles and specifically mentioned South Korean interceptors as a potential source of support.


yckim6452@heraldcorp.com