Proactive efforts needed to improve ties with neighboring nations
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol expressed hope for stronger coordination with the United States and Japan on Korean Peninsula issues, according to Yoon's conservative People Power Party (PPP) Friday. The party said Yoon made the statement in his phone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida two days after he won the presidential election.
While congratulating Yoon on his election victory, Kishida also revealed hopes for improved relations between Seoul and Tokyo. Kishida said during a press meeting in Tokyo that healthy bilateral relations are important for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world. He cited the need for communication between the leaders, saying, "I will think about bilateral relations positively." We welcome such a development as it means a positive sign for better relations between the two countries which have been at their lowest ebb under the Moon Jae-in administration.
On Thursday, Yoon also had a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden only five hours after his election win. "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol of the Republic of Korea to congratulate him on his election," the White House said in a press release. "Together, they affirmed the strength of the U.S.-ROK alliance, which is the linchpin for peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," it noted.
"The two also committed to maintain close coordination on addressing the threats posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear and missile programs," according to White House. Biden affirmed the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea. During his campaigning, Yoon emphasized the need to strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance and beef up mutual trust between South Korea and the U.S. Given the positive reactions from the U.S. and Japan, expectations are growing over Seoul's improved relations with the two countries.
In yet another positive development, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Yoon highlighting the importance of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Seoul and Beijing. He described South Korea as a close and important cooperation partner, in the message read by Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming during a meeting at PPP headquarters.
"Together with South Korea, China is willing to firmly defend the original intentions of our setup of diplomatic ties and solidify the cooperative bilateral relations toward promoting welfare of the peoples of the two countries," Xi said. We welcome the recent "positive" developments surrounding the Korean Peninsula, spurred on by the election of Yoon as the nation's next head of state.
What is worrying, however, is North Korea's recent missile launches, apparently in preparations for test-firing of an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM). The international order is rapidly being realigned toward a new Cold War, prompting the need to map out new strategies to cope with the grave security challenges currently facing the world. Authorities need to come up with detailed and pragmatic diplomatic strategies.
Most importantly, we should strengthen the alliance with the U.S. and Japan. President-elect Yoon should exercise wisdom to tackle the new Cold War era through close alliances on the one hand and pursue balanced diplomacy in relations with the U.S. and China on the other.
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol expressed hope for stronger coordination with the United States and Japan on Korean Peninsula issues, according to Yoon's conservative People Power Party (PPP) Friday. The party said Yoon made the statement in his phone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida two days after he won the presidential election.
While congratulating Yoon on his election victory, Kishida also revealed hopes for improved relations between Seoul and Tokyo. Kishida said during a press meeting in Tokyo that healthy bilateral relations are important for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world. He cited the need for communication between the leaders, saying, "I will think about bilateral relations positively." We welcome such a development as it means a positive sign for better relations between the two countries which have been at their lowest ebb under the Moon Jae-in administration.
On Thursday, Yoon also had a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden only five hours after his election win. "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol of the Republic of Korea to congratulate him on his election," the White House said in a press release. "Together, they affirmed the strength of the U.S.-ROK alliance, which is the linchpin for peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," it noted.
"The two also committed to maintain close coordination on addressing the threats posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear and missile programs," according to White House. Biden affirmed the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea. During his campaigning, Yoon emphasized the need to strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance and beef up mutual trust between South Korea and the U.S. Given the positive reactions from the U.S. and Japan, expectations are growing over Seoul's improved relations with the two countries.
In yet another positive development, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Yoon highlighting the importance of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Seoul and Beijing. He described South Korea as a close and important cooperation partner, in the message read by Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming during a meeting at PPP headquarters.
"Together with South Korea, China is willing to firmly defend the original intentions of our setup of diplomatic ties and solidify the cooperative bilateral relations toward promoting welfare of the peoples of the two countries," Xi said. We welcome the recent "positive" developments surrounding the Korean Peninsula, spurred on by the election of Yoon as the nation's next head of state.
What is worrying, however, is North Korea's recent missile launches, apparently in preparations for test-firing of an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM). The international order is rapidly being realigned toward a new Cold War, prompting the need to map out new strategies to cope with the grave security challenges currently facing the world. Authorities need to come up with detailed and pragmatic diplomatic strategies.
Most importantly, we should strengthen the alliance with the U.S. and Japan. President-elect Yoon should exercise wisdom to tackle the new Cold War era through close alliances on the one hand and pursue balanced diplomacy in relations with the U.S. and China on the other.
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