Lee's Election In S Korea: The Time For Wishful Thinking Has Come

Latest stories

No good options for Iran in Israel war

India breaks with China, Russia on Israel-Iran war

Israeli war aims: destroying Iran's nuke program, regime change

One recalls candidate Barack Obama who promised to“unify” a divided United States. Once elected, he appointed Chicago political operative Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff. And America got Chicago politics at the national level. Rule #1 of Chicago politics: crush your opponents. Rule #2: do whatever it takes to keep power-forever.

Don't expect centrist, conciliatory policies from Lee.

Rather, we'll soon see Lee's pogrom against his opponents – to include anyone with the nerve to have called for honest elections. Lee's Democratic Party of Korea (DP) has an overwhelming majority in the national assembly – likely obtained by questionable means. He can do whatever he wants, and packing the Supreme Court appears on the menu.

Lee's calls for“restoring democracy” and unifying the nation in his inaugural speech give chutzpah a bad name.

He and the DP spent the entire two years of Yoon's administration making it impossible for Yoon to govern and enact his policies.

This went well beyond sharp-elbowed politics found in a normal country. Instead, it was intended to cause chaos. Nearly 30 impeachments of Yoon and his officials? Zeroing out Yoon's budget requests and more?

Not exactly the behavior of a loyal opposition.

Rather, Lee's election is one more episode in a years-long effort by South Korean radicals to establish single-party rule in South Korea – and align with the PRC, North Korea and even Russia.

The original impeachment resolution against former president Yoon accused him of“antagonizing North Korea, China, and Russia” and“adhering to a bizarre Japan-centered foreign policy.”

Sometimes people tell you what they really think – if you'll listen.

Is this the end of the US-ROK alliance?

It won't collapse tomorrow, and still has resilience.

But any relationship is on shaky ground when key figures on one side dislike the other side – and would rather hook up with their partner's main rivals.

Everything will get more difficult for Washington in Northeast Asia, and easier for Beijing, which has been pressuring and insinuating itself into South Korea for years.

Perhaps hoping to make the best of things, the White House said the US-ROK alliance is“ironclad” – and declared the election“free and fair.” It did express general concern over“Chinese interference” in democracies. The State Department similarly offered congratulations to President Lee.

Free and fair election?

South Korean citizens facing intimidation and lawsuits uncovered substantial evidence of widespread electoral irregularities (as they did for elections in 2020 , 2022, and 2024).

Did anyone at the US Embassy, the State Department or the White House even examine the evidence ? Or meet with the citizen's groups?

Apparently not.

The foreign press has been equally lazy. As have most analysts. Rather than investigating, just call it baseless conspiracy theories.

This was a gut punch to pro-alliance South Koreans, already distressed that the Trump administration couldn't be bothered to make a favorable reference to consensual government and honest elections before the polling.