Likely To Lead South Korea, Lee Holds Left's Foreign Policy Views

2025-04-14 08:15:06

(MENAFN- Asia Times) In the wake of President Yoon Suk-yeol's ouster as president of the Republic of Korea, his former opponent Lee Jae-myung is likely to win the snap presidential election scheduled for June 3. A Gallup poll released in April indicated Lee enjoys a support level of 34 percent, while his highest-rated rival languishes at 9 percent.

Yoon was a conservative, while Lee represents the progressive Democratic Party (DP). Ordinarily, a change in South Korea from a conservative to a left-of-center government would have the potential to substantially shake up international relations in Northeast Asia.

Progressive governments in Korea tend to be relatively conciliatory toward North Korea and China, which correspondingly engenders tensions with the US.

Kim Dae-jung, who was South Korea's president in 1998-2003, opposed the hardline US approach to North Korea, instead implementing the now-infamous“Sunshine Policy” of offering economic rewards – including a secret payment of $500 million to secure a summit meeting with Kim Jong-il – in an attempt to pacify Pyongyang's hostility toward the ROK.

Kim's successor Roh Moo-hyun continued the Sunshine Policy, criticized the US approach of using economic sanctions to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program and sought“equidistance” for the ROK between China and the US.

By contrast, although controversial and ultimately a failure at home, the conservative Yoon was unusually supportive of the US agenda. His“Strategy for a Free, Peaceful, and Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region” closely resembled the Biden Administration's“Indo-Pacific Strategy” published a few months prior.

Yoon was tough on North Korea and spoke without deference about China, consistent with US positions. He promised a foreign policy anchored in the same liberal values Washington was then promoting. The US government especially welcomed Yoon's willingness to increase strategic cooperation with Tokyo despite Korea's historical grievances with Japan remaining unresolved.

Accordingly, many observers expect a major shift in South Korea's foreign policy if the presidency shifts from Yoon to Lee. They see the ROK at a“crossroads ,” with some concluding a Lee government would“send shockwaves through East Asia's delicate balance of power” or even create“a nightmare scenario .”

The transition from Yoon to Lee, however, would likely be a tremor rather than an earthquake.

To be sure, Lee's outlook differs from Yoon's. The DP argues that Yoon excessively damaged relations with China and Russia in his effort to please Washington.

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