The Lee Jae-myung administration has focused on pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests over the past year, seeking a diversified diplomatic strategy. The government has made progress in discussions regarding nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear energy cooperation with the United States, while also improving relations with China and Japan. Amid North Korea's declaration of the South and the U.S. as 'hostile nations,' finding a path to restore inter-Korean relations remains a challenge.
During his first year in office, President Lee undertook nine overseas trips, visiting 14 countries and signing 126 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) as part of his diplomatic efforts.
One of the administration's notable achievements was the mutual visits between the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. within just 147 days of Lee's inauguration, the shortest period on record. Following a summit with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., last August, a second summit was held in Gyeongju during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in late October.
In the security sector, the administration secured U.S. support for the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines and expanded authority for uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing for nuclear power plants. These outcomes were outlined in the joint fact sheet from the Korea-U.S. summit held on October 29 in Gyeongju.
Relations with China were revitalized following President Xi Jinping's visit to South Korea in November and President Lee's state visit to China in January. The relocation of Chinese facilities from the Korea-China provisional measures zone in the Yellow Sea was also seen as a significant achievement.
Despite changes in Japan's leadership, with the resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and the inauguration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the focus remained on cooperation rather than conflict, continuing security and economic collaboration. Seven summits and meetings between South Korean and Japanese leaders helped restore 'shuttle diplomacy' and strengthen a forward-looking bilateral relationship.
In multilateral diplomacy, the administration resumed extensive diplomatic engagement, starting with participation in the G7 summit, and marked a historic first by having a South Korean president preside over a United Nations Security Council meeting, showcasing its leadership as a responsible global power.
The Middle East crisis, stemming from the war between the U.S. and Iran, posed a significant test for the government. Amid the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, South Korean vessels were stranded, and on May 4, the South Korean ship HMM Namoo was attacked while docked in the strait.
The government supported the evacuation of citizens by deploying military transport and charter flights from the onset of the war and engaged in continuous consultations with relevant countries, including Iran and the U.S., to ensure the safety of vessels and the resumption of navigation.
An investigation into the Namoo incident concluded that the weapon used in the attack was likely a Noor-class anti-ship missile developed in Iran. The South Korean government summoned Iranian Ambassador to South Korea, Saeed Koozechi, to express its protest and demand measures to prevent a recurrence. Additionally, the Israeli government released South Korean nationals who had been detained after being captured by Israeli forces while aboard a humanitarian vessel bound for Gaza.
The administration's North Korea policy aims to shift the relationship from 'hostility and confrontation' to 'peaceful coexistence and joint growth' through its 'Korean Peninsula Peace Coexistence Policy.'
Following the government's launch in June of last year, measures to restore trust with North Korea were implemented. The military authorities abruptly halted loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea after a year of resuming them. The issue of leaflet distribution by civilian organizations, which had drawn North Korea's sensitive reactions, was resolved through persuasion from the Ministry of Unification and the passage of related legislation.
North Korea has institutionalized its 'hostile two nations' stance, as articulated by Kim Jong-un in December 2023. In his Liberation Day speech on August 15, President Lee declared three principles for North Korea policy: respect for North Korea's regime, no pursuit of absorption unification, and no hostile actions. He also indicated plans for the proactive and phased restoration of the military agreement that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration had suspended.
Additionally, the administration has made diplomatic efforts to facilitate dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. President Lee proposed the roles of 'peacemaker' and 'pacemaker' in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula during his meeting with President Trump.
On September 3 of last year, Xi Jinping of China, Vladimir Putin of Russia, and Kim Jong-un of North Korea stood together at Tiananmen Square in Beijing during the 80th anniversary of China's victory in World War II. This marked the first time since the end of the Cold War that the leaders of North Korea, China, and Russia gathered in one place.
With a clear alignment of an 'anti-Western and anti-American coalition' centered around China, the administration's pragmatic diplomacy focused on national interests faces another test.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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