[President Yoon's Inauguration] "Bold Plan for Drastic Improvement of North Korean Residents' Quality of Life" Start of Four-Power Diplomacy

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] President Yoon Suk-yeol begins his official term as the 20th president by starting diplomatic work on the 10th with meetings with diplomatic envoys from major countries such as the United States, China, and Japan.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Amid instability in the international situation due to North Korea's nuclear tests and missile launches and the confrontation between the United States and Russia, President Yoon faces the task of strengthening diplomacy with the four major powers: the US, China, Japan, and Russia.

According to the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 10th, President Yoon, making his official debut on the international diplomatic stage upon inauguration, will consecutively meet with high-ranking diplomatic envoys from various countries who have come to Korea as congratulatory delegations at the Yongsan office from noon on the same day.

It is known that meetings with official diplomatic delegations from major countries including the United States, China, and Japan are scheduled one after another. This is expected to be the first event held at the new office.

After the inauguration ceremony, President Yoon is scheduled to meet sequentially with Douglas Emhoff, the United States’ ‘Second Gentleman’ who leads the congratulatory delegation visiting Korea, Wang Qishan, Vice President of China, and Hayashi Yoshimasa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The order of meetings with the US, China, and Japan delegations has not yet been announced.

Emhoff, the head of the US delegation, is regarded as a symbolic figure representing the ‘White House family,’ considering the imminent South Korea-US summit.

◇ "I will open the door to dialogue with North Korea" = President Yoon is expected to emphasize the importance of the South Korea-US alliance above all. Especially with the first summit meeting with US President Joe Biden scheduled for the 21st, he is likely to put weight on strengthening the South Korea-US alliance.

Also, the increasing threat of North Korea’s nuclear provocations has led to the judgment that cooperation with the US is important.

In his inaugural address on the day, President Yoon said, "Regarding North Korea’s nuclear development, which threatens peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Asia and the world, I will keep the door open for peaceful resolution through dialogue," adding, "If North Korea stops nuclear development and shifts to practical denuclearization, we will prepare a bold plan to cooperate with the international community to dramatically improve North Korea’s economy and the quality of life of its people."

He continued, "North Korea’s denuclearization will not only bring sustainable peace to the Korean Peninsula but also greatly contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia and the world."

◇ Meeting ‘Xi Jinping’s right-hand man’ highlights importance of South Korea-China relations = On the same day, President Yoon will also meet Wang Qishan, Vice President of China, who came to Korea as a special envoy of President Xi Jinping. Wang is the highest-ranking Chinese official to attend a South Korean presidential inauguration ceremony in history.

Wang Qishan also arrived in Korea on a special flight the day before. China is expected to emphasize the importance of South Korea-China relations ahead of the South Korea-US summit by dispatching Wang, who is regarded as Xi Jinping’s trusted ‘right-hand man.’

It is anticipated that Wang will deliver a message from President Xi to President Yoon, and there is interest in what content will be included, including the possibility of President Xi’s visit to Korea.

Hayashi Yoshimasa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, attending the inauguration as a special envoy of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, is the first Japanese foreign minister to visit Korea in about four years since June 2018.

Hayashi, who arrived in the afternoon of the previous day, is expected to deliver a congratulatory letter from Prime Minister Kishida to President Yoon during their meeting.

Earlier on the evening of the 9th, Park Jin, the nominee for Minister of Foreign Affairs, held talks with Hayashi and discussed ways to develop a future-oriented relationship between the two countries.

No separate diplomatic envoy from Russia visited Korea. This appears to be due to the deterioration of South Korea-Russia relations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.