With a progressive administration in South Korea once again in place, along with United States President Donald Trump and Pyongyang’s Kim Jong Un – the configuration behind the Singapore and Hanoi summits in 2018 and 2019 – this raises the possibility of more diplomatic activities.
While conditions have changed, especially with North Korea’s recent military partnership with Russia, both Mr Trump and Mr Kim appear interested in giving negotiation another shot. The Lee administration will seek to play a more active and conducive role in making progress on the North Korea issue.
On the US-China rivalry, the Lee administration will come under greater pressure to enhance its cooperation with Washington.
Mr Lee has pledged to enhance the alliance with the US and further develop the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral. At the same time, he has repeatedly said that South Korea must not be drawn into any conflict between the US and China, including over Taiwan. He calls this “pragmatic” diplomacy serving South Korea’s national interests.
This balancing act is tricky. Mr Lee must show deft diplomatic skills if he is to navigate turbulent external circumstances and make progress on the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula. Otherwise, his pragmatic diplomacy could end up weakening the alliance with the US or degenerating South Korea to become a pawn in the great power strategic game.
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