President Donald Trump said he is looking into reports that South Korea’s new government conducted raids on churches and even accessed information from a U.S. military base, warning, “We won’t stand for that.”
The statement came as Trump is set to host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the White House on Monday for talks on trade and defense, ABC News reported.
.@POTUS: "I heard that there were raids on churches over the last few days... by the new government in South Korea — that they even went into our military base and got information... I'll be finding out... We won't stand for that." pic.twitter.com/qmbwirD604
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 25, 2025
The two leaders are expected to expand on a July trade deal in which Seoul agreed to invest heavily in the U.S. after tariffs were set at 15% on South Korean goods. Trump emphasized that the agreement would keep South Korea “open to trade” with the U.S., particularly in automobiles and agriculture.
On defense, the discussions may cover U.S. troop presence in South Korea and cost-sharing measures. Lee, a liberal Democrat, succeeded ousted conservative Yoon Suk Yeol and arrives in Washington amid heightened scrutiny of his government’s actions at home.
