South Korea Must Not Risk Security in Choosing New Leader

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The Constitutional Court of South Korea upheld President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment by the National Assembly, thereby removing him from office. As a result, a presidential election will be held in early June.

The Korean War never officially ended, although there is a ceasefire on the Korean Peninsula, and South Korea is not in a hot war with North Korea. Nor is it faced with any major social disturbances or natural disasters.

Yoon's decision to declare martial law and mobilize the military last December 2024 was unjustified. It has seriously damaged South Korea's international image and his impeachment was unavoidable. We hope South Korea will hold its presidential election without any chaos and thus restore political stability. The political situation in South Korea, after all, has a major impact on the security environment in Northeast Asia. That includes Japan.

Yoon argued that he imposed martial law because the opposition parties had paralyzed national politics. Nonetheless, the Constitutional Court ruled that the requirements for martial law were not met. It judged that there "was not a state of war or a national emergency equivalent to that." Furthermore, the court said that by sending troops into the National Diet, Yoon had "denied the principles of popular sovereignty and democracy" and ignored the Constitution.

Keeping a Stable Security Outlook

A focus of debate during the upcoming presidential election is certain to be the severe security environment in Northeast Asia. North Korea is rushing to strengthen its nuclear and missile capabilities. It is also strengthening its military cooperation with Russia, including sending troops to help Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, China continues to expand its military and will not hesitate to use military force against Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other nations.

Concerning foreign affairs and security issues, the Yoon Administration adopted realistic policies. Yoon also sought to improve relations with Japan, which had reached a nadir under the preceding pro-North Korean, left-leaning Moon Jae In administration. Yoon also promoted unity among Japan, the United States, and South Korea in the area of security while he sought to strengthen the US-ROK alliance.

With growing threats from authoritarian nations such as China and North Korea, South Korea's political situation must stabilize. In the days to come, North Korea will likely step up its military provocations and manipulation of public opinion.

*Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea's largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea (© Yonhap News Agency)*

Averting Threats to Peace in the Region

In the presidential election, we hope to see distinctions made in discussions about the Yoon administration, separating his declaration of martial law from his foreign and security policies. Current opinion polls show Lee Jae-myung as the leading opposition presidential candidate. He is the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the largest North Korean-friendly opposition party.

Unfortunately, his party's positions on foreign and national security issues seem so dangerous. That was demonstrated by the first bill the DPK submitted, calling for Yoon's impeachment. It accused him of "hostility towards North Korea, China and Russia, while pursuing a bizarre foreign policy that revolves around Japan."

Here, we can catch a glimpse of thinking that favors siding with the authoritarian nations of China, Russia, and North Korea. Such a perception of foreign affairs threatens peace for South Korea and the region.