Korean American Business Leader Urges Pragmatic Seoul Strategy Toward Trump

A prominent Korean American business and civic leader has urged Seoul to approach the Trump administration with a clearer understanding of President Donald Trump’s commercial instincts while keeping its focus on the long-term strength of the Korea-US alliance.

Sunny K. Park, president of the American Korean Friendship Society, said Korean officials should recognize that Trump tends to view negotiations through the lens of returns and reciprocal benefits. In an interview published Sunday, Park argued that Seoul could benefit from giving people with business experience a greater role in discussions with Washington.

Park said major investment decisions should not be shaped only by immediate political pressure because large projects can take decades to generate returns. He described Trump as a dealmaker who expects a tangible exchange, rather than a political leader guided exclusively by traditional diplomatic conventions.

His comments come as Seoul and Washington manage a broad alliance agenda spanning security, trade and Korean corporate investment in the United States. Park said recent points of friction, including limits on intelligence sharing, were likely to be temporary. He expressed confidence that the bilateral relationship would endure, noting that the two countries had overcome difficult periods during more than seven decades of partnership.

At the same time, Park called for more candid communication to address concerns in Washington that South Korea may be moving closer to China. He said trust remained central to the alliance and urged Korean officials to explain their positions openly when disagreements arise rather than allow suspicion to build.

Park’s perspective draws on decades in business and Korean American civic affairs. He moved to the United States in 1974 at age 32 and initially studied at Indiana University before leaving school to support his family. After selling life insurance and helping Korean immigrants find work, he identified demand for commercial cleaning services.

He founded General Building Maintenance in 1983 and developed it into a major privately held commercial cleaning company. Over the years, he also built relationships across US political, academic, religious and community organizations. Park said sustained charitable giving helped him gain attention for Korean American concerns at a time when immigrants had limited political influence.

A Republican, Park also praised US Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel, describing her as direct and committed to the alliance. He rejected criticism based solely on her ties to Trump, arguing that Seoul should make practical use of her access to the administration.

Park’s central message was that pragmatism and trust need not conflict: Seoul can negotiate in terms the Trump administration understands while preserving frank communication and a durable alliance beyond any single presidential term.