Korea's Yoon Suk-yeol named one of Time magazine's Most Influential 100

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is included in the Time magazine's 100 most influential people of 2022 list in the “Leader” category. [TIME]

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was included in Time magazine's 100 most influential people of 2022.

Yoon, who took office just two weeks ago, was in the category of influential leaders, according to Time's website Monday.

He joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden.

Refering to heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula amid North Korea's increased nuclear and missile threats, Time wrote, "South Korea's new President, Yoon Suk-yeol, a former prosecutor with little foreign policy experience, is determined to take on the challenge."

It said Yoon of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) has "called for a tougher stance" on North Korea compared to predecessor Moon Jae-in.

In his inauguration address on May 10, Yoon offered an "audacious plan" to strengthen North Korea's economy in exchange for complete denuclearization, but the article pointed out that leader Kim Jong-un is unlikely to accept such a deal.

Yoon wants to "align with the U.S. — South Korea's most important military ally — more closely," Time wrote, which will "likely create friction with China, its largest trading partner."

Time noted that if Yoon has "big aims internationally, he will also need to prove himself at home." Describing Yoon as a "populist leader," it pointed out that "not everyone is confident in his abilities" and that he "won by a razor-thin margin" in the presidential election.

Yoon beat his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung by just 0.73 percentage points of the vote in the March 9 election.

It added that Yoon had "inflamed divisions by weaponizing antifeminist rhetoric to gain support."

During his campaign, Yoon pledged to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, seen as a move to appeal to young male voters in their 20s and 30s.

Among former Korean leaders, President Moon Jae-in made Time's influential leaders category in 2018 and President Park Geun-hye in 2013.

Time selected a total of 100 people in six categories: Artists, Innovators, Titans, Leaders, Icons and Pioneers. Since 2004, the magazine announced its 100 Most Influential People list annually, showcasing the year's most influential celebrities, executives and politicians.

Other Koreans on Time's list included Hwang Dong-hyuk, director of the hit Netflix series "Squid Game," in the Titans category, which included Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Time said Hwang's success "stems from his ability to illuminate the feelings of the characters and to build believable lives for them from the ground up."

It added that the director was "brilliant in visualizing this intricate and savage world that looked like a game, but revealed piercing truths about society and humanity."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]