Zürcher Nachrichten - Lee-Trump Golf Diplomacy Faces Diplomatic Dilemma Ahead of G20 Summit

South Korean officials are navigating complex logistical and diplomatic challenges as they consider arranging a golf meeting between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump during the upcoming Group of 20 summit in Miami. While the Blue House has established a task force to prepare for such an event, concerns over Trump’s competitive nature and scheduling constraints remain significant hurdles.

As preparations intensify for the G20 summit scheduled for December 14 and 15 at Trump National Doral Miami, the ruling camp is grappling with whether the two leaders can fit a golf round into their agendas. The venue, which is Trump’s own resort, offers a convenient setting for such an outing, but the practicalities of coordinating a half-day activity around official protocol duties present substantial difficulties.

A senior Democratic Party official confirmed that efforts are underway to secure a bilateral summit between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G20. However, the same official noted in a phone interview that arranging a separate golf round is "realistically not easy" given Trump’s packed schedule of receiving other world leaders.

Despite these logistical barriers, ideas are circulating within the Blue House task force regarding how to facilitate a potential meeting. Proposals range from selecting appropriate golf-related gifts tailored to Trump’s preferences to inviting professional female golfers he admires to join the round. Discussions have also included the possibility of providing Lee with golf lessons to ensure he is adequately prepared.

The primary concern for South Korean officials centers on Lee’s performance and its diplomatic implications. Lee, who is not known as a skilled golfer, faces a delicate balancing act: playing poorly could fail to impress Trump, while playing too competitively might offend him. One remark circulating in the ruling camp encapsulates this dilemma: "It is a problem if President Lee plays poorly, but it is also a problem if he plays well."

Trump’s history on the golf course has drawn scrutiny for his aggressive and sometimes controversial playing style. In November 2017, footage captured then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe losing his balance and rolling backward into a sand bunker after a shot. Trump, who did not appear to notice the fall, continued walking ahead with his back to Abe. The incident became a widely discussed symbol of the disparity in their golfing dynamics.

Sources familiar with the matter suggest that Trump tends to ignore opponents whose skills are weaker, focusing instead on his own game. This behavior raises concerns that an unflattering scene could repeat itself with President Lee.

Furthermore, Trump has long faced accusations of cheating during golf rounds. U.S. sports columnist Rick Reilly’s 2019 book, "Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump," cites accounts of Trump kicking his ball out of difficult positions and into better ones. Caddies at New York’s Winged Foot Golf Club reportedly nicknamed him "Pelé" due to the frequency of this action.

The book also alleges that Trump moved an opponent’s ball into a bunker and won a senior club championship by reporting a score from a different course. Reilly argues that Trump’s drive to win on the golf course mirrors his approach to politics and business.

An official from the Democratic Party emphasized that the challenge extends beyond Lee’s golfing ability. "Arranging the golf meeting itself is not easy, and even if it happens, President Lee’s golf skills are not the only issue," the official said. "Since real diplomatic results have to be drawn out without upsetting Trump, there is no shortage of things to watch out for on and off the course."

While some in the ruling camp believe arrangements might be made to schedule a round before or after the G20 summit, it remains unclear whether Trump will clear his schedule as host to play with Lee. The outcome of these diplomatic maneuvers will depend on balancing protocol obligations with the personal dynamics between the two leaders.

T.Furrer--NZN