After the inauguration of the president, Trump quickly took on the role of the oldest statesman who guides the new man on the global stage. In multiple phone calls, Trump was considered present and effective. During his first visit to Trump’s luxury resort, he played golf with him and had dinner with their wives.
The office of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he returned to practice golf for the first time in eight years, preparing for meetings with the elected American President, Donald Trump. Yoon recently visited the golf course to practice the game that he hasn’t played since 2016. In a press conference, Yoon confirmed that he expects a good relationship with Trump, referring to the positive assessment from former officials in Trump’s administration and influential Republicans.
It is noted that Trump played about 261 rounds of golf during his first term. Yoon believes he is trying to benefit from the friendship with Trump to strengthen South Korea's interests in a Trump-style "America First" approach. Although Yoon called for government talks to return Trump, the heavy reliance on the personal relationship may not shield South Korea from negative repercussions. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe succeeded in gaining Trump’s favor due to their close personal relationship, which did not show obvious benefits for Japan.
