According to a May 26 report by Yonhap News Agency, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party for South Korea's 21st presidential election, posted an article on Facebook that day, revealing his policy commitments in the field of diplomacy and security. Lee Jae-myung stated that the ROK-U.S. alliance remains the foundation of his foreign policy, but he will also actively repair relations with China.

In his blog post, Lee Jae-myung mentioned that he would prioritize national interests and promote "pragmatic diplomacy." He hopes to restore trust in the ROK-U.S. alliance, which has been damaged due to illegal curfews, after being elected. Moreover, the ROK-U.S. alliance is also at the core of ensuring South Korean security and countering North Korea's "asymmetric threats."

Regarding China, Lee Jae-myung believes that China is an important trading partner for South Korea and has a significant impact on the security of the Korean Peninsula. He will make efforts to repair and stabilize the deteriorated ROK-China relations that have worsened due to the previous administration's misjudgments.

As for Japan, Lee Jae-myung emphasized that he will further consolidate the ROK-U.S.-Japan cooperation relationship and "principally" address historical and territorial issues. In terms of economy, society, and culture, South Korea needs to shift its direction and lay a solid and stable foundation for future-oriented bilateral relations with Japan.

Screenshot of some of Lee Jae-myung's posts on Facebook

On the issue of North Korea's nuclear program, Lee Jae-myung expressed hope to ease the current tensions and achieve the goal of "nuclear-free peace." He pointed out that policies toward North Korea should not be used as political tools but should focus solely on achieving peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula. Through social dialogue, he aims to achieve this goal together with the citizens. However, considering North Korea's increasingly advanced nuclear missile capabilities, the South Korean government cannot continue to stand idly by and will work with the United States and the international community to make progress on the North Korean nuclear issue.

According to a report by Yonhap News Agency on May 23, a poll released by polling agency Gallup Korea on the same day showed that among several leading candidates in South Korea's presidential election, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party currently leads with 45% support. Kim Won-soo of the People Power Party and Lee Joon-seok of the Reform New Party follow with 36% and 10% support respectively.

However, despite Lee Jae-myung's lead in support among all presidential candidates, his victory is not guaranteed. Compared to the previous survey, Lee Jae-myung's support rate has dropped by 6%, while Kim Won-soo and Lee Joon-seok have risen by 7% and 2% respectively. Some analysts believe that South Korean conservatives may achieve a reversal through measures such as candidate consolidation.

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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7508584019232326178/

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