Yoon Suk-yeol swings to the right
Although the rule of President Yoon Suk-yeol began with declarations of national unity, by late June or early July 2023, there have been a number of actions that hint to a rightward tilt. These actions go beyond the appointment of a new unification minister, which the author has already discussed. Recall that when Kim Yung-ho was selected for the ministerial position, he stated that human rights in North Korea should be a top priority in Seoul’s inter-Korean policy and that pressure must be exerted on the North. On June 28, 2023, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol stated that “anti-state forces with a distorted view of history and an irresponsible view of the state begged for the lifting of UN Security Council sanctions…
2023 and perception of the “third neighbor” in Mongolia: people’s attitudes are changing
The “third neighbor” for Mongolia is a set of the large states that do not have a direct geographical boundary with Mongolia and are distinguished by a high level of socio-economic development and a democratic political system. The very concept of the “third neighbor” dates back to the events of the early 1990s, when US Secretary of State James Baker, during his visit to Mongolia (1990), called his country “Mongolia’s Third Big Neighbor.” The idea of balancing between Mongolia’s two enormous direct neighbors (Russia and China) by building intense and deep partnerships with…
Fumio Kishida's visit to South Korea
As the readers recall, Yoon Suk-yeol, the new President of the Republic of Korea, advocated right from the start for enhancing ties with Japan and shifting attention from the issues of the bygone past to building a better tomorrow. His speech on March 1, 2023 and his visit to Japan on April 16-17, during which, according to critics, Yoon made a number of unilateral concessions, fit into this agenda. In addition, the two leaders agreed to resume shuttle diplomacy, or regular visits…
Concerning Signs of Chill in Relations Between China and South Korea
Given recent diplomatic advancements between the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as the President of the Republic of Korea’s visit to the United States, this article investigates issues that may indicate a chill in relations with China. On April 19, 2023, President Yoon Suk-yeol gave an interview to Reuters. Yoon frequently spoke cautiously about Sino-US rivalry because China is South Korea’s main commercial partner. However, regarding the tension in the Taiwan Strait, he stated that “these tensions occurred because of the attempts to change the status…
The President of the Republic of Korea’s Visit to the United States: An Analysis of Key Documents and Statements. Part 3. Russian (and Chinese) Issues at the US and ROK Presidents’ Summit
The context in which Russia was mentioned deserves its own section because, prior to the visit and following Yoon Suk-yeol’s interview with Reuters, many people anticipated or feared that, as a holiday present, the ROK president would solemnly cross the red line and declare that South Korea would change its position on the Ukraine issue and begin providing Kyiv with weapons…
The President of the Republic of Korea's Visit to the United States: An Analysis of Key Documents and Statements. Part 2. Joint Statement by the Presidents
Yoon and Biden’s opening monologue was theatrical, just like the Washington Declaration. “The United States and the ROK are constructing an Alliance that will provide future generations with a firm foundation upon which to build prosperity and security.” The first part of the statement positioned the US-ROK alliance as a “Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance” that “has grown far beyond the Korean Peninsula, reflecting the vital role of our two countries as global leaders in advancing democracy…
The President of the Republic of Korea's Visit to the United States: A Timeline of Events
President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived in Washington on Monday for a six-day state visit under the slogan “Alliance in action toward the future.” This was the sixth meeting between Yoon Suk-yeol and Joe Biden after the summit in Seoul in May 2022, followed by meetings in Madrid, London, New York and Phnom Penh…
Will the Lee Jae-myung case be followed by a Song Young-gil case?
On April 17, 2023 Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, the country’s main opposition party, made a public apology, not in relation to his own personal situation, but in relation to past events which primarily involved Song Young-gil, his predecessor as party leader. Song Young-gil was the leader of the Democratic movement in the 1980s, and also served as mayor of Incheon, served three terms as a deputy in the National Assembly, and was, for a time, Moon Jae-in’s Special Envoy to Russia…
South Korea at the Ukrainian Crossroads
A year has passed since Russia launched a special military operation to denazify Ukraine’s criminal regime. Against this backdrop, various parties continue to try to draw South Korea into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, the Republic of Korea is currently ranked 27th out of 57 countries providing aid…
The ROK has begun to "pay the Vietnamese bills"
On February 7, 2023 a very significant event occurred, in the author's opinion. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Nguyen Thi Thanh, a Vietnamese woman seeking compensation from the ROK government. Nguyen claimed that she lost five family members and suffered gunshot wounds herself when members of the Republic of Korea's...