Will Lee Jae-myung Reorient South Korea’s Foreign Policy?

Experts discuss the implications of South Korea's presidential election.

After six months of political chaos and leadership vacuum following Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law fiasco and impeachment, South Koreans elected Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Minjoo Party as their new president on June 3. Starting day one, the new government in Seoul will be inheriting a daunting geopolitical environment. With growing North Korean nuclear threats, an intensifying U.S.-China rivalry, a more rigid transactionalist U.S. approach toward alliances under Trump, and more, Seoul has an array of challenges to navigate.

Please join the Quincy Institute for a panel discussion to delve deeper into the challenges and opportunities the Lee administration faces, what to expect from Lee Jae-myung’s foreign policy, and the implications for the U.S.-South Korea alliance. 
June 2025

9
9:00 AM ET
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Join us for a timely and important discussion with:

Kim Joon-hyung

Dr. Kim Joon-hyung (or Joon Hyung Kim) is a member of the National Assembly, Republic of Korea. He has been teaching as an international politics professor at Handong Global University for 25 years. In 2024, he was elected as member of the 22nd National Assembly for the Rebuilding Korea Party. He is the standing committee member of the Foreign and Unification Committee.

Frank Aum

Frank Aum is the senior expert on NE Asia at the United States Institute of Peace, where he focuses on ways to strengthen diplomacy to reduce tensions and enhance peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. From 2010-2017, he worked at the DOD, including as special assistant to the assistant secretary of defense for Asian & Pacific Security Affairs.

Darcie Draudt-Véjares

Darcie Draudt-Véjares, PhD is a fellow for Korean studies in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. A political scientist and policy analyst, she publishes regular commentary on South and North Korean domestic politics and foreign policy, Northeast Asian relations, and U.S.-Korea policy. 

James Park

James Park is a research associate at the Quincy Institute’s East Asia Program. His research covers South Korean foreign policy and domestic politics, Chinese security issues, and U.S. policy vis-à-vis East Asia. He has written about Korean and Chinese affairs for various outlets, including The Diplomat, The National Interest, and Responsible Statecraft.

Jake Werner (Moderator)

Jake Werner is acting director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute. His research examines the emergence of great power conflict between the U.S. and China and develops policies to rebuild constructive economic relations. Prior to joining Quincy, Jake was a Postdoctoral Global China Research Fellow at Boston University.
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