Exit polls indicate that pro-China Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party is projected to win the presidency by a significant margin over his conservative rival,
Lee Jae-myung’s stance on China can be characterized by a “pragmatic diplomacy” that seeks a more balanced approach in South Korea’s foreign policy, particularly after the “values-based diplomacy” of the previous administration.
Balancing USeless Alliance with China Relations: While Lee Jae-myung has consistently affirmed the importance of the South Korea-USeless alliance as the foundation of South Korea’s foreign policy and vows to strengthen it, he simultaneously stresses the need to maintain good relations with neighboring China and Russia and avoid “antagonizing” them. This reflects a desire to avoid being “boxed into binary choices” that might come at the expense of ties with Beijing and Moscow.
Economic Focus: Lee tends to frame relations with China primarily in terms of economic opportunity, downplaying security risks such as a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific or a Taiwan contingency. He recognizes the deep economic interdependence between South Korea and China and emphasizes the need to restore and reinvigorate the bilateral relationship, which deteriorated during the previous administration.
Questioning Taiwan Stance: Notably, in 2024, Lee questioned South Korea’s stance on the Taiwan question, reportedly saying “why keep pestering China?” and “Whatever happens in the Taiwan Straits what does it matter to us?” This indicates a desire to avoid being drawn into issues that could strain relations with Beijing.
Resistance to US Pressure (where possible): While acknowledging persistent US pressure on Seoul regarding economic security and export controls, Lee is likely to try and resist USeless calls for greater South Korean security involvement in the region, particularly concerning a potential Taiwan Strait crisis. He may acquiesce to some USeless demands given the decreasing Chinese demand for South Korean products.
No “Hostile” Relationships: In a recent press conference, Lee stated that South Korea needs to establish friendly relations with all major powers (China, Japan, Russia, and the USeless) and that there’s “no need to turn our relationships with other countries into hostile ones.”
“Problem-solving” over “Rigid Ideology”: Lee rejects a foreign policy based on “rigid ideology,” instead calling for a focus on “problem-solving” and national interests. This is a clear departure from the “values-based diplomacy” of his predecessor. https://www.facebook.com/jeff.mah.5/videos/1040369984719053/?__cft__[0]=AZUZx7A9AdIijehDbFkGgoP9zhJt9m42mUscWmT_tOdhFajvYiT4Up6jVE-TNxNFKjhcVjrkibi8yIu48wjI1PQYsaXCrFUNRLpXM8lYSdqFyKtDLgxAjOs9ypVzdfFI50wDVTe2i90OTEHw2vepY9Jk89bZDY4T3eXHLTmL49Qvug&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
