Former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s short tenure was disastrous for inter-Korean relations. Other than offering up a vague proposal in August 2024 to establish working-level groups on increasing economic interactions between Seoul and Pyongyang, the former administration’s time in office was Obama-esque: short on creative ideas and long on strategic patience. 

Yoon’s North Korea policy could best be summarized as “kick them in the teeth and see what sticks.” He clobbered his predecessor Moon Jae-in’s attempt to reconcile with North Korea, suspended the 2018 comprehensive military de-escalation agreement that aimed to ease tensions along the Demilitarized Zone (although the North Koreans abrogated the deal months earlier), resumed loudspeaker broadcasts against the North and even talked up the notion of South Korea attaining an independent nuclear weapons arsenal.  

South Korea’s New President: Lee Jae-myung

With Yoon out and Lee Jae-myung in, South Korea’s policy towards its communist neighbor is on the road to reform. Lee isn’t as starry-eyed about Korean unification as Moon was, but he still intends to move South Korea away........

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