President Yoon Suk Yeol marked the first anniversary of his inauguration, Wednesday. What awaited the prosecutor-turned -head of state, then a political novice, were knotty tectonic challenges at home and abroad. For Yoon, who beat his rival Lee Jae-myung in a razor-thin affair, the majority opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has been the most arduous barrier to him. Besides, his opponents were prevalent in ranking posts in many of the major government offices and affiliates including the influential mass media, such as leading broadcasters ― KBS and MBC ― paired with militant labor unions.
Disputes continued to flare up, such as when the relocation of the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the former Ministry of National Defense Building in Yongsan District occurred. The Yoon administration has been dubbed "The Republic of Prosecution" due to Yoon's nepotistic preference for placing prosecutors in major public posts. This has seen his approval rating enter the 20 percent range though it has rebounded slightly of late.
Yoon managed to garner support from his conservative backers by cracking down on the chronic collusions between construction companies and labor unions. Yet, he went too far by proposing a 69-hour weekly work system, further distancing his administration from young people.
Aggravating economic conditions have also been haunting the Yoon government. Snowballing household debt arising from declining house prices has become a major threat to the national economy. The nation's exports, the mainstay of the economy, skidded for the seventh consecutive month in April, chiefly led by lackluster overseas sales of semiconductors. The steady hike of interest rates has increased inflationary pressures, dealing hard blows, especially to the underprivileged.
Yet the most daunting challenge has come from risks related to national security. The tenacious war in Ukraine, triggered by Russia's invasion in February last year, has disturbed global supply chains. This, coupled with rising prices of essential products such as energy and grain, has made things even tougher.
The war has also been causing far-flung impacts on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, inciting North Korea to ratchet up its nuclear buildup and missile provocations. China is also increasingly intimidating South Korea regarding Yoon's statement on Taiwan, warning against interference in the matter. Yoon's expression of opposition to the potential attempt to "change the status quo by force" is nothing new and is based on a common policy shared by many global leaders. As Yoon put it, the Taiwan issue is a global one, not confined to the two main sides.
Yoon has been tasked to well cope with the potential threats from China, North Korea and also Russia while maintaining a solid alliance with the United States and developing relations with Japan. This may be the fate faced by any head of South Korea, a country that is geopolitically vulnerable. Despite this, Yoon took a lot of flak for his diplomatic gaffes in crucial events including the state visit to the U.S. in September 2022.
Fortunately enough, Yoon made a resounding success in his recent state visit to the U.S. and summit with President Joe Biden. The Washington Declaration deserves high praise as it features upgraded nuclear deterrence against possible North Korean attacks and a bilateral alliance at a higher level. Yoon's seemingly well-prepared fluent English speech in the U.S. Congress and then singing part of the pop song "American Pie" during a banquet helped boost the friendly mood. Such an agreement was largely backed by increasing support for nuclear armament here. Yoon needs to appreciate domestic enterprises such as Samsung, SK, and LG for their contribution to the alliance with their massive investment plans in the U.S. in state-of-the-art areas like semiconductors and EV batteries.
The bilateral pact falls short of referring to the nation's bids toward nuclear possession and manufacturing. Yoon later said it would take less than one year for the nation to produce nuclear weapons if it wants. Some even urge Seoul to positively consider withdrawing from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).
South Korea has grown to lead middle-power nations. Now it needs to play a more proactive role as a "global pivot state" making its voices heard more effectively with regard to significant security and economic issues.
In this vein, Yoon deserves acclaim for having made a proper counteroffensive against China's intimidation against his earlier remark on Taiwan. It was also appropriate for him to have asked China to do more to dissuade North Korea from resorting to military provocations. Yoon needs to discard the hitherto "strategic ambiguity" in dealing with grave security concerns, mainly in relation to China.
Former President Moon Jae-in became an object of disparagement for his seemingly "subversive" attitudes toward China. Now Yoon should press for his own style of straightforwardness and clarity based on national self-esteem. While being frank and honest, he should try to gain the trust of the global community on the back of his more seasoned and prudent diplomatic caliber.
In addressing domestic issues, Yoon needs to extract cooperation from the DPK, despite the legal risks surrounding its leader Lee. All told, he needs to employ talented and capable people from outside the prosecutorial sector. That is the surest way for him to become a successful head of state, by garnering the people's support in the remaining four years of his presidency.
Shim Jae-yun (jayshim@koreatimes.co.kr) is chief editorial writer of The Korea Times.
QOSHE - At 1, Yoon's challenges and responses - Guest Columnaccount_circleinfobrightness_mediumcancel
President Yoon Suk Yeol marked the first anniversary of his inauguration, Wednesday. What awaited the prosecutor-turned -head of state, then a political novice, were knotty tectonic challenges at home and abroad. For Yoon, who beat his rival Lee Jae-myung in a razor-thin affair, the majority opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has been the most arduous barrier to him. Besides, his opponents were prevalent in ranking posts in many of the major government offices and affiliates including the influential mass media, such as leading broadcasters ― KBS and MBC ― paired with militant labor unions.
Disputes continued to flare up, such as when the relocation of the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the former Ministry of National Defense Building in Yongsan District occurred. The Yoon administration has been dubbed "The Republic of Prosecution" due to Yoon's nepotistic preference for placing prosecutors in major public posts. This has seen his approval rating enter the 20 percent range though it has rebounded slightly of late.
Yoon managed to garner support from his conservative backers by cracking down on the chronic collusions between construction companies and labor unions. Yet, he went too far by proposing a 69-hour weekly work system, further distancing his administration from young people.
Aggravating economic conditions have also been haunting the Yoon government.........
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