WaPo: Incoming President Seeks More Assertive Role For SK In Asia

Speaking to the Washington Post, South Korean President-Elect Yoon Suk-yeol has stated that during his term in office he will seek to present a broader and more assertive South Korean foreign policy stance. He stated that “We should not only focus on relations with North Korea, but rather expand the breadth of diplomacy in the [European Union] and throughout Asia with the South Korea-US relationship as our foundation...We should take on a greater role in fulfilling our responsibility as one of the top 10 economies in the world.”

• Yoon, from the conservative People Power Party, stated that he wanted to 'rebuild' relations with Washington, D.C. While there has not been a major falling out between the Biden and Moon administrations, the latter's efforts to seek reconciliation with North Korea has resulted in a less forceful stance against Beijing and Moscow than the US would have liked from such a close ally in Asia.
• He also stated that he wants South Korea to become a “global pivotal state,” that takes an active role in global geopolitics outside of its relations with the DPRK. “We should take part in the international pressure campaign on Russia, which the current government is doing to a certain extent...”
• It should be noted, though, that Yoon - whose inauguration takes place on 10 May - faces an uphill challenge in enacting many of his more sweeping foreign policy changes, given that the opposition Democratic Party of Korea holds a majority in the National Assembly up until the next legislative elections in 2024. While the president has broad powers over foreign policy, presidential decisions can be overturned by a majority vote in the parliament.