摘要：The previous Yoon administration's heavy tilt toward Washington and Tokyo came at considerable cost to South Korea's regional rela

By Gabriela Bernal

South Korea has officially elected a new leader for the next five years: Lee Jae-myung. The election of this veteran progressive politician represents a crucial turning point after six months of political instability following former President Yoon Suk-yeol's controversial martial law declaration last December. Beyond restoring domestic stability, Lee's presidency presents a golden opportunity to recalibrate the nation's foreign policy toward a more pragmatic and balanced approach that prioritizes Seoul's national interests.

The previous Yoon administration's heavy tilt toward Washington and Tokyo came at considerable cost to South Korea's regional relationships and economic prospects. The Lee administration now has the chance to craft a foreign policy strategy with long-term vision. Among the most urgent priorities are reducing tensions with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), restoring the vital economic and diplomatic partnership with Beijing, and reclaiming South Korea's position as a constructive middle power in the region.

Inter-Korean relations deteriorated to alarming levels under the Yoon government, with Seoul increasingly entangled in provocative bilateral military exercises with the U.S. and trilateral drills including Japan. Rather than pursuing meaningful dialogue, the former administration prioritized military posturing over diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang. U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed expressions of interest in engaging with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un provide a strategic opening that Lee should seize to encourage productive negotiations.

Perhaps most critically, Lee's government must prioritize rebuilding the partnership with China – a relationship that serves both Seoul's immediate economic needs and the region's long-term stability. As South Korea's largest trading partner, China represents an economic lifeline that Seoul cannot afford to sacrifice, particularly as the Trump administration threatens escalating tariffs on South Korean goods.

Moreover, Trump's transactional approach to alliances raises serious questions about Washington's reliability as a security partner. The U.S. president's demands that the Republic of Korea (ROK) pay more for the presence of U.S. troops stationed there along with rumors of a potential reduction in the U.S. military presence expose the fragility of depending solely on American commitments.

The strategic dangers of the previous approach have become increasingly apparent. Recent statements by United States Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Xavier Brunson describing South Korea as "the closest allied presence to Beijing" and comparing it to "a fixed aircraft carrier floating in the water between Japan and mainland China" reveal Washington's intention to use South Korean territory as a forward base for China containment operations.

Japan's recently proposed "one-theater" concept, treating the East China Sea, South China Sea and Korean Peninsula as a single conflict zone, could further entangle South Korea in potential great power confrontations that serve neither Seoul's interests nor regional stability or peace.

Given these dangers, the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from a U.S. commander back to the ROK should be an immediate priority. This would restore the ROK's military sovereignty and help prevent entanglement in conflicts that don't serve long-term national interests.

In addition, to restore his nation's position as a responsible middle power in the region, President Lee should pursue several concrete steps to rebuild the China relationship, which was largely cast aside by his predecessor. Economic cooperation represents the most immediate opportunity through restored and expanded trade ties, particularly in sectors that are being directly targeted by the Trump administration.

Regular diplomatic coordination through high-level consultations would also serve to address regional security concerns through multilateral frameworks rather than military confrontation. China's position as one of DPRK's closest political partners and primary economic partner makes Beijing an essential partner in any sustainable peninsula peace process. Joint diplomatic initiatives can create space for dialogue that benefits all regional stakeholders.

A technology partnership represents another area which Lee could expand with Beijing. Seoul could seek cooperation with Beijing in areas like renewable energy, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. Joint research initiatives could benefit both nations while reducing dependence on any one country or partner in the long-term.

In an era of intensifying great power competition, South Korea's prosperity and security depend not on choosing one side over the other but on maintaining strategic autonomy to cultivate relationships that serve the country's long-term interests. This is a difficult task that each ROK president must undertake, especially given South Korea's complex geographical position and the ongoing state of war on the peninsula.

To resolve the tense military situation in the peninsula, the ROK will need to continue cultivating partnerships that serve the peninsula and region's long-term strategic interests. While Washington will remain a crucial ally, Seoul cannot afford to put all its eggs in America's basket. In the end, each nation will always put its own interests first, before that of its closest allies.

As such, Lee Jae-myung must prioritize a rebalance of the nation's foreign policy strategy aimed at reducing tensions and resuming diplomatic talks with the DPRK, restoring Seoul's relations with Beijing and strengthening other regional and global partnerships that contribute to national and regional prosperity and stability. The alternative – fixating on one side and continued entanglement in great power confrontation – will only lead to security crises that threaten not only the ROK but the wider region.

Gabriela Bernal, a special commentator for CGTN, is a Korea analyst based in Seoul, South Korea.

来源：中国网一点号