Urgent Diplomatic Battle Among 'Hanmi, Iljung, Jung' Unfolds on Yoon President-Elect's Inauguration Day

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] As North Korea continues its military provocations ahead of President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's official inauguration, it is expected that a diplomatic battle surrounding the situation on the Korean Peninsula will unfold around the inauguration ceremony on the 10th.

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a greeting at the disbandment ceremony of the Presidential Transition Committee held on the afternoon of the 6th at the Presidential Transition Committee in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by the Transition Committee Press Corps

Since high-ranking officials from major countries including the United States, China, and Japan will attend this inauguration, there is a high possibility of close consultations on North Korean missile launches and international affairs.

According to diplomatic circles on the 7th, about 300 foreign guests, including 143 foreign envoys to South Korea, are expected to attend Yoon's inauguration ceremony on the 10th.

From the United States, Douglas Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, will attend. With President Joe Biden's visit to Korea scheduled for the 20th of this month, sending the vice president's husband instead of the White House National Security Advisor or Secretary of State is interpreted as a gesture of goodwill toward the alliance.

Labor Secretary Martin Walsh, Representative Ami Bera, Representative Marilyn Strickland, Deputy Attorney General Todd Kim, Special Advisor for Presidential Personnel Linda Sim, and author Min Jin Lee of the novel "Pachinko" will also attend.

From China, Wang Qishan, Vice President and close aide to President Xi Jinping, will attend. Attending as President Xi's special representative, Vice President Wang is effectively the highest-ranking official China has sent to South Korean presidential inaugurations. The inauguration preparation committee classified Vice President Wang as a head-of-state level figure in the list of foreign guests.

From Japan, Foreign Minister Hayashi will be dispatched as the representative. Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, known as a pro-Korea figure, will also attend.

From Russia, no separate diplomatic envoy will visit, but Andrey Kulik, the Russian Ambassador to South Korea, is expected to attend. This appears to be due to the deterioration of Korea-Russia relations following the invasion of Ukraine.

Accordingly, President-elect Yoon is scheduled to meet with high-ranking diplomatic envoys immediately after the inauguration, and a diplomatic battle among major countries is expected to unfold on the stage of the inauguration ceremony.

In particular, since North Korea reportedly launched a short-range ballistic missile presumed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) into the East Sea on the 7th, it is anticipated that measures to respond to North Korean issues will be discussed.

President-elect Yoon is expected to meet Vice President Wang on the afternoon of the 10th, after the inauguration. At this meeting, Vice President Wang is likely to deliver President Xi's message regarding Korea-China relations to President-elect Yoon.

Foreign Minister Hayashi is also expected to visit President-elect Yoon on the afternoon of the 10th to deliver Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's message regarding Korea-Japan relations.

A diplomatic expert said, "With President-elect Yoon's inauguration as a turning point, active diplomatic efforts to strengthen Korea-US, Korea-China, and Korea-Japan relations will take place," adding, "Given the ongoing North Korean military provocations and the serious international situation such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, close consultations on bilateral issues as well as North Korean and international matters are necessary."