South Korea hosts President Trump as trade tensions linger

Summary

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Marketplace Morning Report: "South Korea hosts President Trump as Trade Tensions Linger"

Date: October 29, 2025
Host: William Lee Adams (Marketplace/BBC World Service)
Field Reports by: Yuna Coup, Nick Marsh, Craig Landgren
Episode Length: ~8 minutes (content only)

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on President Donald Trump’s visit to South Korea amid ongoing trade tensions. Reporting primarily from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Kyungju, it gives a succinct update on the state of U.S.–South Korea trade negotiations, shifting global investments, and innovative solutions for critical shortages in Syria’s hospitals. The episode also briefly touches on the intersection of climate change and food security, previewing a related podcast.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.–South Korea Trade Negotiations at APEC

• Setting: President Trump is in South Korea, preparing to meet with China's leader Xi Jinping. He has already had talks with South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung.
• Negotiation Status: Talks have been stalled for several months. Trump claims a deal is close; South Korean officials remain skeptical.
• Sticking Points:
  • Tariffs: A tentative agreement would cut reciprocal and auto tariffs from 25% to 15% (01:58).
  • Investment: South Korea is under pressure to deliver a $350 billion investment into the U.S., but there is conflict over how the investment would be structured and how the resulting profits would be shared.
  • Economic Pressure: The requirement for such a substantial cash outflow would be a significant burden; South Korea, heavily export-oriented, seeks relief from current US tariffs.
• Balance for South Korea: President Lee must protect a crucial export industry (autos) while guarding against undermining the country’s financial standing through massive one-off payments.

Notable Quote:

“It's a tough spot for Seoul because putting up $350 billion in cash as Trump demands would be a huge burden—considering the size of South Korea's economy.”
— Yuna Coup (02:14)

Success for South Korea:

“Whether he could cut down the reciprocal tariff, especially the auto tariff, is very critical… but many South Koreans are worried about the $350 billion. So how can President Lee balance between the cash payment and the future payment?”
— Yuna Coup (02:43)

2. Global Business & Economic Updates

• Amazon Investment: Amazon will invest an additional $5 billion in South Korea, building new AI data centers (03:20).
• Commodities: Copper prices reached a record $11,140/ton, buoyed by market optimism over de-escalating U.S.–China tensions.
• Ben & Jerry’s Founder’s Protest:
  • Ben Cohen is releasing a Palestinian-themed melon sorbet under his new brand, Ben’s Best, after Unilever (owner of Ben & Jerry’s) prevented its former release.
  • “Ben Cohen has said, well, I’m going to go ahead and make a protest batch in my own kitchen under my own private brand.” — Nick Marsh (04:05)

3. Innovation in Syrian Hospitals: 3D Printing Critical Equipment

• Problem: Hospitals often have life-saving equipment (e.g., baby incubators, ventilators) that cannot be used due to lack of spare parts, exacerbated by years of conflict and sanctions.
• Solution: Syrian engineers, led by Aymad Nasir Nyam and supported by Field Ready charity, use 3D printing and open-source designs to fabricate replacement parts locally.
• Workflow: Hospitals submit repair requests via mobile app; the team designs, prints, and trains staff on use and maintenance.
• Impact & Cost Savings:
  • Replacement parts can be made for ~$150 versus new equipment costing $8,000+.
  • In recent months, they've repaired 20 machines, from incubators to X-ray coolers.
  • “They told us that they really look better than the original doors.” — Aymad Nasir Nyam (06:00)
  • “Our role here was really different, like we could save lives through engineering interventions.” — Aymad Nasir Nyam (06:48)
• Future Prospects: The fall of the Assad regime opened new access, and the team’s open-source designs are freely available for global use.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Yuna Coup on Tariff Negotiations
  — "South Koreans have been hoping to finalize the trade negotiation because it has been putting a lot of pressure on South Korea's economy." (01:31)
• Aymad Nasir Nyam on Innovation
  — "I just imagine how babies will benefit from these incubators and that we can save their lives." (06:48)
• Nick Marsh on Ben Cohen’s Protest
  — "Ben Cohen has said, well, I'm going to go ahead and make a protest batch in my own kitchen under my own private brand, which is called Ben's Best." (04:05)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:47 — President Trump’s visit to South Korea and U.S.–Korea negotiations overview (William Lee Adams)
• 01:16–03:19 — Yuna Coup discusses negotiation details, sticking points, and possible outcomes
• 03:20 — Amazon’s $5B investment in South Korea and global commodity update
• 03:55 — Ben Cohen’s Palestinian-themed sorbet protest (Nick Marsh)
• 04:20–07:31 — Syrian hospital repairs using 3D printing and open-source engineering (Craig Landgren & Aymad Nasir Nyam)

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Brief Preview: Climate Change & Food Security (07:43–08:12)

• Host Amy Scott: Sets up next season’s theme for "How We Survive," focusing on the climate crisis’s threat to staple foods.
• Notable: "Imagine a future where chocolate and coffee are rare and expensive… the climate crisis is also a food crisis." (07:43)

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Summary

This brisk episode provides a tight summary of major business headlines: the delicate U.S.–South Korea trade talks with detailed insight into the challenges facing both leaders; major global investments and innovations; and a standout human-interest story on how local engineers in Syria are revolutionizing hospital repairs with 3D printing. The tone is urgent and informative, engaging listeners who need a well-rounded picture of overnight global developments with their morning coffee.

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Transcript

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[William Lee Adams]

Trump as Trade Tensions Linger Live from the UK this is the Marketplace Morning report from the BBC World Service. I'm William Lee Adams. Good morning. President Trump is in South Korea for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum or apec, in the city of Kyungju. His upcoming meeting with China's leader Xi Jinping looms large over the summit. But Mr. Trump has already met with South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung. The BBC's Yuna Coup is at APEC and can tell us more.

[Yuna Coup]

Yoona hi, thanks for having me.

[William Lee Adams]

So negotiations between Seoul and Washington have been deadlocked for a few months now, but President Trump has sudden said that a deal will be finalized very soon. What's changed?

[Yuna Coup]

South Koreans have been hoping to finalize the trade negotiation because it has been putting a lot of pressure on South Korea's economy. President Trump mentioned that it will soon be finalized. However, when I talked to the high ranking official from the presidential office, they were very much pessimistic that they will finally reach a deal.

[William Lee Adams]

And what are the sticking points in these negotiations?

[Yuna Coup]

So back in July, South Korea and the U.S. agreed to cut reciprocal tariffs and auto tariffs from 25% to 15% in exchange for South Korea's $350 billion worth investment in the U.S. but there's still some disagreements over how that money will be invested and how the profits will be shared. So it's a tough spot for Seoul because putting up 350 billion in cash as Trump demands would be huge burden considering the size of South Korean economy. And as an export driven economy, South Korea cannot afford to keep facing these 25% tariffs for so long.

[William Lee Adams]

What does success look like for South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung in these negotiations?

[Yuna Coup]

First of all, whether he could cut down the reciprocal tariff, especially the auto tariff, is very critical to South Korean economy because it is the top export item. But at the same time, many South Koreans are worried about if the $350 billion is provided at Once that will degrade the status of South Korean economy. So how can President Lee balance between the cash payment and the future payment would be another focus point for us.

[William Lee Adams]

Yoona, thanks for joining us on Marketplace.

[Yuna Coup]

Thank you.

[William Lee Adams]

Let's do the numbers. Amazon will invest another $5 billion in South Korea to build new AI data centers. The new centers will be built through to 20. And copper jumped to a record of over $11,140 a ton. Amid growing optimism the US and China will dial down trade tensions. The co founder of Ben and Jerry's Ben Cohen says he's launching a new Palestinian themed melon flavored sorbet. Previous attempts to produce it under the brand's name were blocked by its owner, British consumer goods giant unilever. Here's the BBC's Nick Marsh.

[Nick Marsh]

He's been wanting to launch this special Palestinian themed flavor. Ben Cohen says that the parent company of Ben and Jerry's Unilever, huge conglomerate, they blocked that. That has actually been confirmed by Magnum, the ice cream division of this big conglomerate. They said that now is not the time. So Ben Cohen has said, well, I'm going to go ahead and make a protest batch in my own kitchen under my own private brand, which is called Ben's Best.

[William Lee Adams]

Nick Marsh there. Now to Syria. In hospitals across the country, vital machines like ventilators and baby incubators often lie unused because spare parts aren't available. But the charity Field Ready is trying to change using 3D printing. Here's the BBC's Craig Landgren.

[Aymad Nasir Nyam]

My name is Aymad Nasir Nyam. I'm from Aleppo, northwest Syria.

[Craig Landgren]

Aleppo University Hospital had six incubators for newborn babies, but none of them were working. So Emad and his team had a light bulb moment. What if they could make the replacement parts themselves?

[Aymad Nasir Nyam]

The doors of these baby incubators are loose, so we cannot close them. So it means that we cannot put a baby in. We said, so what if we bring a new door only for this? They said, we tried but we couldn't. We said, what if we design and bring new one for you? They said, that would be perfect, but we don't know if you can do that.

[Craig Landgren]

When Emad showed me pictures and videos of his workshop on a video call, it became clear just how they operate. A workshop equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters and traditional tools that only gets electricity for around two hours a day running entirely on solar panels.

[Aymad Nasir Nyam]

So we start the design from zero. The team start working on the drawing to make sure that the sizes are right. Then we use the 3D printer to start printing.

[Craig Landgren]

It's trial and error really, but when they finally delivered the repaired incubators back to the hospital, the reaction was immediate.

[Aymad Nasir Nyam]

So they were really shocked. And when they checked them and they are closing very well, they told us that they really look better than the original doors.

[Craig Landgren]

And crucially, Airmad Solution is affordable.

[Aymad Nasir Nyam]

It costs us about $150 and this baby incubator itself is from $8,000 and more.

[Craig Landgren]

Hospitals can report broken equipment through a mobile app and then Emad and his team assess each case, design the parts, print them and train the hospital staff to maintain them.

[Aymad Nasir Nyam]

In the last months, we have fixed 20 machines.

[Craig Landgren]

They've seemingly tackled everything from X ray cooling systems that were wasting thousands of litres of water every day to ventilators, ultrasound machines, any sort of surgical equipment.

[Aymad Nasir Nyam]

Our role here was really different, like we could save lives through engineering interventions. I just imagine how when we are going to fix this incubator and I just imagine how babies will benefit from these incubators and that we can save their lives.

[Craig Landgren]

The fall of the Assad regime back in 2024 has opened up new possibilities too. Suddenly, Ahmad's team can access the whole country and they're training local engineers to carry this work forward. And in the meantime, his designs are available online, open source for anyone who might want to have at fixing a broken bit of hospital equipment.

[William Lee Adams]

Craig Landgren. Reporting in the uk, I'm William Lee Adams with the Marketplace Morning Report from the BBC World Service.

[Amy Scott]

Imagine a future where chocolate and coffee are rare and expensive, where cheap nutritional staples like corn and wheat are threatened. Sounds unpleasant, doesn't it? Well, we could be heading there if we don't recognize that the climate crisis is also a food crisis.

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