South Korea: Foreign policy battles wait for new president https://p.dw.com/p/4v1j8 POLITICSSOUTH KOREA South Korea: Foreign policy battles wait for new president Julian Ryall 05/28/2025May 28, 2025 Millions of South Koreans will vote for a new president next week, as Seoul deals with a mercurial US, faces the rising power of China and an aggressive North Korea, and negotiates always delicate ties with Japan. https://p.dw.com/p/4v1j8 Lee Jae-myung celebrates Budhha's birthday in Seoul by holding his hands together Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung has a wide lead in polls Image: Kwak Kyung-keun/Matrix Images/IMAGO ADVERTISEMENT With South Koreans due to vote for a new president in the first week of June, analysts warn that the winner of the vote will immediately face challenges in the international arena from friends and rivals alike. Seoul is already under pressure on trade and security issues from the US administration of President Donald Trump, its most important ally against the regime in North Korea. At the same time, South Korea aims to keep essential trade ties with US rival China. Furthermore, its relations with another regional player — Japan — could show cracks depending on the outcome of the vote. Most recent polls put Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-Myung in favor with 49.2% of voters, significantly ahead of his People Power Party (PPP) rival Kim Moon-soo, at 36.8%. The PPP party's image has been tarnished by now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol who is on trial over his attempt to impose martial law in December. Impeached South Korean president arrested 02:46 Kim has been narrowing the gap, however, and a third party, the conservative New Reform Party, currently boasts 10.3% support, possibly giving it a say in the make-up of the new government. "The winner is going to face a lot of big issues very quickly," said Choo Jae-woo, a professor of foreign policy at Kyung Hee University in Seoul. "My feeling is that the incoming president will have to first of all engage with Trump and hope to take the rest of his policies from there," he told DW. "For Korea, the most serious worry is the tariffs on exports to the US and the changing role of the military alliance, including the US forces in Korea."