Yoon’s Foreign Policy Falls Short of “Global Pivotal State” Vision

By |2025-04-08T11:54:08-10:00April 8th, 2025|Categories: Kim, External Publications, news|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

In Foreign Policy, Dr. Lami Kim evaluates the foreign policy legacy of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in her article, “Yoon’s Disappointing Foreign-Policy Legacy.” Yoon, who was impeached and removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, had pledged to transform South Korea into a “global pivotal state.” While his Indo-Pacific strategy aligned closely with U.S. regional objectives, it lacked concrete measures to achieve its stated goals, such as maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait and ensuring freedom of navigation. As Kim notes, “the strategy appeared more aspirational than strategic.”