Key Concerns in South Korea’s High-Stakes Election: Relations with China, North Korea, and the US

Early South Korean voters reportedly turned out in record numbers this week as the nation awaits the June 3 presidential election in what has been described as a pivotal race amid ongoing threats posed by China and recent rocky relations with the U.S. due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. 

The leader of the progressive Democratic Party of South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, is reported to be leading the race as the frontrunner, but he has raised some eyebrows after he vowed to take a “pragmatic” approach to geopolitics, chiefly by easing previously hawkish positions on China and lessening dependence on the U.S.

“The alliance with the U.S. is the foundation of South Korea’s diplomacy,” Lee said during a debate earlier this month, Bloomberg reported.

Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea appeals for support during a South Korean presidential election campaign in Wonju, Gangwon State, South Korea. May 30, 2025. (The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images)

Though he did caution that certain steps taken by the Trump administration, including the 25% tariffs announced earlier this year and the potential withdrawal of troops has “eroded” the relationship. 

 “If the U.S. continues this way — eroding its soft power and the trust of other nations — it won’t be sustainable. At some point, brakes will be applied,” Lee said. “Until then, endurance is key.”

Steel argued the “South Korean people understand the importance of a strong relationship with the United States.”

“Whatever the outcome of the election, South Korean leaders should embrace President Trump and look to make an incredible trade deal that will benefit everyone,” she added. 

But Lee has not convinced all who are weary of his view on U.S. relations, including David Eunkoo Kim, founder and president of the Truth Forum, a conservative youth organization founded at Seoul National University.

South Korean and U.S. Marines take positions during a joint amphibious landing exercise with their Filipino counterparts on a beach facing the South China Sea in San Antonio town, Zambales province, Oct. 7, 2022. (Ted Aljibe/AFP via Getty Images)

“This election is widely seen as a pivotal moment for South Korea because the stakes — both domestically and geopolitically — are extraordinarily high,” Kim said.

“Throughout his political career, (Lee) has consistently aligned himself with both pro-North Korean and pro-Chinese agendas. He has been implicated in sending funds to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, and his deference to China has been nothing short of submissive,” Kim said.

Kim was referring to Lee’s indictment for an illegal cash transfer scheme to North Korea, though Lee denies the accusations and has argued they are politically motivated.

During this month’s debate, Lee’s opponents claimed Lee is also a “North Korea risk” as concerns about Pyongyang’s military movements continue to escalate, Radio Free Asia reported.

Lee maintains he wants to ease tensions with North Korea by engaging in peaceful diplomacy. 

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

But David Eunkoo Kim told Fox News Digital Lee’s legal troubles are another geopolitical vulnerability.

“With multiple criminal investigations looming, he has every incentive to cling to power at all costs — even if that means aligning South Korea more closely with Beijing,” he said. “And this concern is not theoretical. 

“China is already aggressively asserting influence in the region.”