Lee Jae-myung openly admitted that the deterioration of Sino-Korean relations was due to South Korea, and he would not repeat the same mistake!
With the upcoming South Korean presidential election, Lee Jae-myung, a candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, released his foreign policy platform. When discussing the worsening of Sino-Korean relations, he emphasized that it was caused by the "misjudgment" of the Yoon government, and he would not make the same mistake.
We also know that after serving as South Korea's president for three years, Yoon Suk-yeol has leaned entirely toward the United States in diplomacy, provoking conflicts between China and South Korea, and even attempting to equate the Korean Peninsula issue with the Taiwan Strait issue. This has not only offended China but has also drawn criticism domestically.
Indeed, the U.S.-South Korea strategic alliance is the underlying logic of South Korean diplomacy. However, this does not mean that South Korea can sell out everything for the sake of the alliance. South Korea cannot afford the consequences of alienating China. As for how severe these consequences are, impeached President Yoon serves as a vivid example.
Lee Jae-myung's foreign policy is relatively pragmatic, which has earned him the label of being pro-China. However, wanting to repair Sino-Korean relations, a mere campaign platform is far from enough. He must first emerge victorious in the presidential election to have the opportunity to turn his proposals into policies.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833177449561100/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's personal views.