Asia Reacts to...

The Asia Reacts to... series highlighted how various Asian media are reacting to US politics, policy, and major events. Explore the collated sources below to gauge the complexities of the US-Asia relationship as seen from Asia.

*DISCLAIMER: Spelling in the quotations may be changed from British English to American English.*

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Tariffs on Steel and Aluminium Imports to the United States - South Korea

On March 8, 2018, President Donald Trump signed new tariffs into law on steel and aluminum imports. The tariffs, which are set to take effect 15 days from their signing, instill penalties of 25% on imported steel and 10% on imported aluminum. The tariffs have faced pushback within the United States and countries around the world. Currently, Canada and Mexico have been exempted from the tariffs as negotiations over the North American Free…

President Donald Trump's First Visit to Asia - South Korea

From November 5-13, 2017, President Donald Trump traveled to the Asia-Pacific for the first time during his presidency. He traveled to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, during which he discussed US alliances and partnerships with Asian countries, trade agreements, the need for a united front against the threat posed by North Korea, and attended the APEC, US-ASEAN, and EAS Summits.

To learn more about the statements President Trump made during this trip, visit our resource The Trump…

US Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord - South Korea

On June 1, 2017, Donald J. Trump formally announced the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. The Accord, which has been signed by over 190 countries, is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that would deal with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation, and financing starting in 2020. Under President Barack Obama the United States joined the Accord in September 2016. SOUTH KOREA

President Donald Trump's Executive Order on the Trans-Pacific Partnership - South Korea

On January 23, 2017, Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to formally end the United States' participation in negotiations concerning the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). A multilateral trade deal encompassing the Asia Pacific region, the TPP negotiating members include: Japan (the only country to have domestically ratified the agreement), Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile, and Peru. SOUTH KOREA

“Seoul also should brace for demands…

The Inauguration of Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States - South Korea

On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was formally sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in Washington, DC. Countries throughout the Asia Pacific weighed in on how they saw relations between the US and their respective countries going forward under the new Trump administration and the "America First" tone of President Trump's inauguration speech. SOUTH KOREA

"Trump knows nothing about…

President-Elect Donald Trump's Talks with Asian Leaders - South Korea

Since his election on November 9, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump has engaged in telephone calls with leaders in the Asia Pacific. A call that he had with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on December 2, 2016, was met with heated debate throughout the region. UPDATE: In a December 12, 2016 interview with Fox News which brought up the phone call, President-elect Trump questioned the need for a "One China" policy. SOUTH KOREA

"As…

Second Presidential Debate of the 2016 US Election - South Korea

On Sunday, October 9, 2016 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton met at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri for the second presidential debate. Moderated by ABC's Martha Raddatz and CNN's Anderson Cooper, the second debate took the form of a town hall meeting where half of the questions for the candidates came from members of the audience. SOUTH KOREA

"Whoever becomes the president will have to consider…

First Presidential Debate of the 2016 US Election - South Korea

On Monday, September 26, 2016, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton met on the debate stage for the first time at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Moderated by Lester Holt, the topics of the debate included "America's Direction," "Achieving Prosperity," and "Securing America."

SOUTH KOREA

"The polling organization Gallup International released findings on Sep…

President Barack Obama's Final Trip to Asia - South Korea

From August 29, 2016, President Barack Obama embarked on his last trip to the Asia Pacific, visiting China to attend the G-20 Summit and attending the 11th East Asia Summit hosted by Laos, which is wrapping up its chairmanship of the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year. As a result of this visit, President Obama became the first sitting US president to visit Laos. While in the region, President Obama discussed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), worked to strengthen stronger ties with US allies…

Democratic National Convention - South Korea

From July 25-28, 2016, the United States held its Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the convention the Democratic Party officially nominated Hillary Clinton as the first ever female presidential nominee and Tim Kaine as the vice presidential nominee. The Democratic Party also released its party platform.

SOUTH KOREA

"The depth of knowledge on international affairs accumulated from her service in the Senate and…

The Nominations of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump - South Korea

On July 19, 2016 and July 26, 2016, respectively, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton officially became their parties' nominees for President of the United States. In addition to coverage of debates, which will appear on separate pages in the Asia Reacts to... series, this page chronicles how Asian media viewed the two candidates in the lead up to Election Day. SOUTH KOREA

"In late June, the…

Republican National Convention - South Korea

From July 18-21, 2016, the United States held its Republican National Convention (RNC) in Cleveland, Ohio. During the convention, the Republican Party officially nominated Donald Trump and Mike Pence as its 2016 presidential nominee and vice presidential nominees, respectively, and released its party platform. SOUTH KOREA

"'Trump's speech should be seen as a warning about the security alliance between the two countries regardless of the U.S. presidential election result."…