President Lee Jae-myung’s pragmatic diplomacy aims for peaceful, step-by-step engagement with North Korea, while navigating US pressure, Kim Jong-un’s hostility, and restoring balance following Yoon’s divisive leadership.
When Lee Jae-myung was elected President of the Republic of Korea, the Korean populace felt confident that the nation’s future would be bright. Yet, it is also clear that President Lee faces many formidable challenges as he takes the helm.
South Korea’s Democracy Was Under Attack Before President Lee Was Elected
During Yoon Suk-yeol’s three-year tenure, South Korea’s democratic governance was undermined by a competitive authoritarian style of rule. Yoon appointed his close associates from the prosecution office to key governmental positions, disregarded public demands for economic progress and social welfare, and repeatedly exercised his presidential veto power 25 times against legislation passed by the National Assembly’s majority.
Yoon’s hardline stance toward North Korea severely strained relations, particularly through his nullification of the September 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement, which had aimed to reduce tensions and prevent accidental clashes between North and South Korea.
In response, Kim Jong-un has prioritized exponentially increasing nuclear weapons production, including tactical nuclear weapons, potentially for preemptive strikes against the US-ROK alliance. Kim’s rhetoric has turned overtly hostile, labeling South Korea as a primary adversary to be destroyed and occupied in the event of war. His rigid, value-based diplomacy has alienated China, prompting Kim Jong-un to deepen ties with Russia, which in turn has fueled the emergence of a rival bloc in opposition to the trilateral cooperation among the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
President Lee’s Foreign Policy Is More Realistic than Past Administrations
Under the circumstances, President Lee’s foreign policy visions, grounded in his belief in pragmatic diplomacy, offer a promising path toward improving the deteriorating inter-Korean relations. As a leader’s core belief often shapes policy direction through their operational codes, Lee’s rhetoric, speeches, and published writings provide valuable insights into how his administration conceptualizes and navigates United States-South Korea relations and inter-Korean affairs.
In his published articles in Foreign Affairs, Lee advocates for a pragmatic, problem-solving approach over rigid ideological frameworks. He envisions a foreign policy strategy that can effectively address the challenges posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea and the strategic rivalry between the United States and China. While reaffirming the pivotal role of the US-ROK alliance, Lee emphasizes that the North Korean nuclear issue must be resolved peacefully. Rather than pursuing a “Big Deal” approach, he supports a meaningful, step-by-step process accompanied by a snapback mechanism to ensure progress in denuclearization.
Furthermore, Lee recognizes China’s strategic significance as South Korea’s largest trading partner and as a potential moderating influence on Kim Jong-un’s provocative behavior regarding nuclear development and inter-Korean relations.
President Lee’s policy vision has been reaffirmed through his recent presidential inauguration speech, various North Korea-related policy initiatives, and interviews with Korean media. In his address, he outlined a forward-looking and pragmatic diplomatic approach. Lee emphasized the need to strengthen the US-ROK alliance and deepen trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan.
How Has President Lee Deescalated the Korean Peninsula?
By leveraging South Korea’s status as the world’s fifth-largest military power with a defense budget twice the size of North Korea’s GDP, Seoul will maintain a sturdy deterrence posture against Pyongyang’s nuclear threat.
At the same time, Lee committed to pursuing peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation. Echoing an adage from Aristotle, “It is important to win a war; it is even more important to win without a war. But the best of all is to make peace and make it unnecessary to fight,” President Lee pledged to seek the most effective path to achieving lasting peace with North Korea. As an initial step, he ordered the suspension of anti-North Korea propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts on June 11, to which Pyongyang responded by halting its loudspeakers, a move seen as a positive signal for inter-Korean relations. Lee also urged several anti-North Korean civil society groups to refrain from launching propaganda balloons, which have been a frequent source of heightened tension.
As a further gesture to de-escalate military tension and foster a peaceful environment, Lee posted a commemorative message on Facebook marking the 25th anniversary of the June 15 Declaration, signaling his intention to revive the inter-Korean crisis management system, including the terminated CMA.
President Lee’s policy agenda offers tremendous promise, but he must navigate complex challenges. The United States, under the Trump administration, has called for a substantial increase in South Korea’s defense contribution to support the US Forces in South Korea, while simultaneously pressing for higher tariffs on automobiles, steel, and other key exports, disregarding existing trade agreements.
Additionally, Washington expects more robust cooperation from Seoul in advancing its Indo-Pacific strategy, particularly in efforts to counterbalance China, which places South Korea in a strategically sensitive position. Meanwhile, North Korea’s deepening military cooperation with Russia as a means to circumvent UNSC sanctions, along with Kim Jong-un’s increasingly hostile stance toward South Korea, underscores the challenges President Lee faces in persuading Kim Jong-un to return to a reciprocal and constructive inter-Korean relationship.
Nevertheless, the author remains hopeful that President Lee’s steadfast determination and pragmatic diplomacy will effectively navigate these challenges.
About the Author: Edward Kwon
Edward Kwon is a professor in the Department of Political Science at Northern Kentucky University. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His research interests include international security, East Asian security, international relations of East Asia, territorial disputes, financial liberalization, and global governance in the international financial system. His work has appeared in journals such as Asian Affairs, Journal of Contemporary Asia, East Asia: An International Quarterly, International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, Journal of East Asian Studies, Korean Journal of Defense Analysis, Korea Observer, Pacific Focus, Pacific Affairs, and Journal of Peace Studies. He serves on the editorial boards of several journals and acts as a reviewer for various academic journals and publishers in the fields of international relations and area studies. He is also currently the President of the Association of Korean Political Studies. ([email protected])
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Republic of Korea.
