South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will meet President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, a first encounter likely to test the balance between alliance solidarity and growing disputes over defense obligations and China policy.

During his campaign this year, Lee declared that he would “crawl between President Trump’s legs” if necessary to protect South Korea’s national interests, while cautioning, “I am not a pushover, either.” Now in office, he arrives in Washington facing U.S. pressure for Seoul to assume more responsibility for its security and to support Washington’s strategic posture toward Beijing.

The two leaders share uncommon parallels, The New York Times noted. Both survived assassination attempts before taking office. Both have expressed interest in direct engagement with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un. But their priorities diverge sharply on the seven-decade-old alliance: Trump’s administration has tied U.S. forces in Korea to broader regional operations against China, while Lee’s government fears entanglement in a Taiwan conflict could leave Seoul more vulnerable to Pyongyang.

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