What the return of diplomacy means

Lee Hyuk
The author is a former ambassador to Vietnam.

We must take the results of the April 10 parliamentary elections in stride and move on to serious deliberation about the future of our country. Politicians, with their eyes on 2027, will surely skip the soul-searching. The People Power Party (PPP) will raise the stakes to retain its governing power against the opposition Democratic Party (DP), which is determined to take it back. An internal battle for the next presidency will heat up within each party.

But we must not ignore the significance of diplomacy, which nearly went out of sight in the latest legislative election. Foreign policy and security matter more than ever in this ever-changing perilous climate. North Korea’s threats have become real through the sophistication of their nuclear weapons and missiles. The U.S.-China conflict has spilled over to almost every field from defense and ideology to economy and technology. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza show few signs of coming to an end. Fears of a full-blown war between Israel and Iran have fueled the values of oil and the U.S. dollar.

Despite the worsening external environment, Korea’s political parties remain sharply divided over diplomatic and security issues under the diehard influence of their ideology-driven rivalry. Conservatives are biased towards the United States and Japan — and the liberals towards North Korea and China — which only deepens acute conflicts over foreign policy. Domestic rivalry prevails when bipartisanship through constructive debate is an insufficient response to harsh international environments. Internal conflict hampers the creative and flexible foreign policy necessary to defend national interests. It is imperative that both the parties set the direction of our foreign policy and security ahead of the next presidential election.

Despite the PPP’s recent crushing defeat — and regardless of the constraints from the PPP’s minority status — the ruling front has more maneuvering room in diplomacy, which is where the Yoon Suk Yeol administration can score points. The government has certainly made strides towards restoring diplomatic relations with Japan and strengthening alliances with America, as well as in achieving a trilateral security network with the two countries. The government must not waver in its direction to drive a future-oriented relationship with Japan despite the unsettling issues of the past. Korea-Japan ties are essential to buttress that trilateral alliance.

If the government does not want turn its diplomatic achievement into a half success, it must also be proactive in mending ties with China. Alliance with the United States should be the foundation of our foreign policy. But it should not come at the cost of losing favor with Beijing. A combination of Seoul’s solid alliance with Uncle Sam and its stable relationship with China will help bring peace and security to the Korean Peninsula.

Regardless of how the international order pans out, China’s influence over Korea’s economic and security environment will remain in place as long as Beijing stays the primary patron to Pyongyang. The results of the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election could shake up East Asia’s geopolitics. It will be dangerous if we pay attention to Washington but turn our backs on Beijing. The government could score extra points in bipartisanship if it respects the DP’s demand for stable relations with China.

There must be political unity when it comes to foreign affairs and security. The dichotomic reasoning between alliance and sovereignty is not compatible with the majority opposition. If the DP wants to prove its ability to govern the country after winning the next presidential election, it should be able to make up for the government’s drawbacks on the diplomatic front rather than simply criticizing them.

The fundamental role of the opposition is to provide better alternatives. The DP must outgrow its skepticism of the U.S. alliance. It must admit that Korea depends on the country for its protection against North Korean threats. Without a strong alliance with Washington, Seoul can hardly maintain a healthy relationship with Beijing.

The DP also must abandon its habitual and emotional condemnation of Japan. Otherwise, the party will waste energy wrestling with anti-Japan sentiment even if it retakes ruling power.

It is possible for Korea to balance its relationships with the United States, China and Japan while maintaining reliable and cooperative bilateral and trilateral ties. That is the path to maximizing our diplomatic synergy and national interests. The more complexities the country faces, the sharper the judgment the voters will make in the next presidential election.

Translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily staff.