#226, Yoon
On Tuesday this week, Yoon Suk-yeol was sworn into office as the 20th President of South Korea. President Yoon is a former public prosecutor and lawyer and led an investigation into Park Geun Hye’s corruption scandal in 2016. He ran from the conservative People Power Party which is the main opposition party in South Korea.
President Yoon has significant challenges ahead of him amidst a conflict in Ukraine, ever-present tensions with North Korea, and South Korea’s recovery from the pandemic. He promised to meet those challenges and noted during his inauguration,
“We, as global citizens, must make a stand against any attempt that aims to take our freedom away, abuse human rights or destroy peace”
Here are four things to know about President Yoon:
Closer to the U.S. in the face of China
Consistent with the conservative People Power Party’s long-held stance, Yoon has emphasized a stronger U.S.-South Korea alliance, especially with an eye toward North Korea.
He has called on South Korea to play a greater role in its relationship with the United States by cooperating on “new frontier” issues that are key to the U.S.-China economic competition and would draw on South Korea’s advanced technology industry, such as supply chain resiliency through semiconductors and electric-vehicle batteries, space and cybersecurity.
Hard-line stance on North Korea
The Yoon victory could have big ramifications for South Korea’s role in Northeast Asia and its relations with the United States, primarily by hardening its approach to China and North Korea. After outgoing President Moon Jae-in, who made diplomacy with North Korea central to his foreign policy ambitions, a Yoon presidency would mark an about-face on inter-Korean relations. Yoon has called for greater cooperation with Washington to confront the growing nuclear threat posed by North Korea.
Markets forces to save the economy
Yoon supports market-led approaches to spurring economic growth and creating jobs, and said he would cut corporate regulations to help make that happen.
Amid widespread complaints over soaring housing costs, Yoon has pledged to reduce real estate taxes, which would benefit those who are wealthier or own multiple homes, and build 2.5 million new homes, including small homes below market prices that people in their 20s and 30s can purchase.
Individual rights over women’s rights
Gender was a lightning-rod issue in the campaign, especially among young Koreans in their 20s. Yoon has appealed to disaffected young men who are frustrated at the outgoing administration’s policies to encourage women to enter and stay in the workforce. He has vowed to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality, which has become a flash point for the gender war in South Korea.
Yoon said he believes in focusing on individuals’ needs rather than dividing the population along gender lines.
To complete this Journal response, address the following:
Choose one of the four issues above. Do you agree or disagree with President Yoon’s stance? Why?
If you know of another of President Yoon’s stances and would like to write about that instead, you may.
Comment on a peer’s response.
-Brenden Lee Teacher