Ex-U.S. VP Harris faults Trump's tariffs, N.K. policy, calls for stronger alliance with S. Korea

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SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday criticized the Donald Trump administration's policy on North Korea and tariffs, calling for a renewed commitment to the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

Speaking at a special lecture in Seoul organized by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, Harris said U.S. President Trump's economic and foreign policies have been undermining Washington's strength in its ties with Seoul.

Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gives a special lecture on the U.S. leadership and the future of the alliance at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul on Oct. 14, 2026. (Yonhap)

"I was very -- 'disappointed' would be an understatement -- to see when the current president changed the strength of our shared exercises," Harris said, referring to joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington.

In August, South Korea and the United States scaled back their combined military exercises at Trump's direction, a move seen as a conciliatory gesture toward Pyongyang. North Korea, meanwhile, has advanced its nuclear capabilities while deepening its military ties with Russia.

Pointing to the Trump administration's "erratic tariffs and the punitive nature of those," Harris said such policies ran counter to strengthening the alliance and America's standing in the world.

"We have to acknowledge the changing circumstances even over the last year and a half that require a renewal of our commitment to South Korea," she said.

Harris also called for stronger extended deterrence against North Korea, saying decisions on how to strengthen it "must be the product of allies coming together."

"The alliance between China and Russia and Iran and North Korea, it's something we have to pay attention to," she said. "There is the work that the United States should always be committed to -- that is about participating in strengthening the Republic of Korea's armed forces."

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (L) holds talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting at a hotel in New York on Sept. 22, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

On economic ties, Harris praised South Korean companies' contributions to U.S. industries, including shipbuilding, semiconductors and electric vehicles, as well as their investments in U.S. technology and manufacturing.

"The Korean investment in technology in the United States ... is immensely significant and valued," she said.

When asked how South Korea could maximize its economic relationship with the U.S. amid tariff tensions, Harris encouraged continued cooperation but questioned whether investments should be made under pressure.

"Not as a consequence of a threat, right?" she said, responding to a suggestion that South Korean companies would need to invest billions of dollars more in the U.S.

"The nature of a relationship of trust is that it is reciprocal," she said. "You give and you receive trust."

Harris also called for a more strategic approach to trade and closer cooperation with allies to strengthen supply chains and prevent shortages.

"America must invest in a robust domestic industrial strategy and partner with our allies to build resilience and prevent chokepoints and shortages," she said.

Harris' remarks came amid concerns over Seoul-Washington ties, including constraints on intelligence sharing, differences over the implementation of South Korea's planned US$350 billion investment in the U.S. in exchange for lower U.S. tariffs on Korean imports and other pending bilateral issues.

"As I said in 2022, when I was last here as vice president: the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea has been a linchpin of security and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific. Today I have returned to Seoul because I still believe that is true," Harris said.

South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan (4th from L), U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (4th from R) and others attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony during an event marking the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center in Washington, D.C., on July 23, 2026. (Yonhap)

graceoh@yna.co.kr (END)

Ex-U.S. VP Harris faults Trump's tariffs, N.K. policy, calls for stronger alliance with S. Korea

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首尔，10 月 14 日（韩联社）——美国前副总统卡马拉·哈里斯周三批评了唐纳德·特朗普政府的朝鲜政策和关税政策，呼吁重新致力于韩美同盟。

哈里斯在首尔由峨山政策研究所组织的一次特别讲座上发表讲话时表示，美国总统特朗普的经济和外交政策一直在削弱华盛顿与首尔的关系。

2026年10月14日，美国前副总统卡马拉·哈里斯在首尔峨山政策研究院就美国领导力及同盟未来发表特别演讲。（韩联社）

“看到现任总统改变了我们联合演习的力度，我感到非常失望——用‘失望’来形容都显得轻描淡写了，”哈里斯说，她指的是首尔和华盛顿之间的联合军事演习。

8月，在特朗普的指示下，韩国和美国缩减了联合军事演习规模，此举被视为对平壤释放的和解信号。与此同时，朝鲜在深化与俄罗斯军事联系的同时，也提升了其核能力。

哈里斯指出特朗普政府“反复无常的关税政策及其惩罚性质”，并表示此类政策与加强美日同盟和提升美国在世界上的地位背道而驰。

“我们必须承认，即使在过去一年半的时间里，情况也发生了变化，这需要我们重申对韩国的承诺，”她说。

哈里斯还呼吁加强对朝鲜的延伸威慑，并表示如何加强延伸威慑的决定“必须是盟友共同商议的结果”。

“中国与俄罗斯、伊朗与朝鲜之间的联盟是我们必须关注的问题，”她说。“美国应该始终致力于一项工作——那就是参与加强韩国的武装力量。”

2026年9月22日，韩国总统李在明（左）在纽约一家酒店与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普举行会谈。（联社照片）（韩联社）

在经济联系方面，哈里斯赞扬了韩国企业对美国产业的贡献，包括造船、半导体和电动汽车，以及它们对美国技术和制造业的投资。

“韩国对美国科技领域的投资……意义极其重大，价值非凡，”她说。

当被问及在关税紧张局势下韩国如何才能最大限度地发展与美国的经济关系时，哈里斯鼓励继续合作，但质疑是否应该在压力下进行投资。

“这并非是受到威胁的结果，对吧？”她回应道，此前有人提出韩国企业需要在美国追加数十亿美元的投资。

“信任关系的本质是互惠的，”她说。“你付出信任，也会获得信任。”

哈里斯还呼吁采取更具战略性的贸易方式，并与盟友更紧密地合作，以加强供应链并防止短缺。

“美国必须投资于强有力的国内产业战略，并与我们的盟友合作，以增强韧性，防止出现瓶颈和短缺，”她说。

哈里斯发表上述言论之际，正值人们对首尔和华盛顿的关系感到担忧，包括情报共享受限、韩国计划向美国投资 3500 亿美元以换取美国降低对韩国进口商品的关税等问题在实施上存在分歧，以及其他悬而未决的双边问题。

“正如我在2022年上次以副总统身份来到这里时所说：美韩同盟一直是朝鲜半岛和印太地区安全与繁荣的基石。今天我重返首尔，因为我仍然坚信这一点，”哈里斯说道。

2026年7月23日，韩国产业通商资源部长金正宽（左四）、美国商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克（右四）等人在华盛顿特区出席韩美造船合作中心开幕剪彩仪式。（韩联社）

graceoh@yna.co.kr (完)

美国前副总统哈里斯批评特朗普的关税政策和朝鲜政策，呼吁加强与韩国的联盟关系。