(Newswire.net — March 10, 2017) — The outcome of the ROK Presidential race could hold enormous consequences not only for South Korea, but for the international community as well.(1)
A divisive political corruption scandal forced President Park Geun-hye to step down. Now, several popular candidates hope to lead South Korea during a period of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The leading contenders disagree with one another about numerous issues, including the best way to maintain geopolitical stability within the region.
Moon Jae-in: Leadership in a Challenging Era
The current front runner in the race, Moon Jae-in, possesses extensive political experience. He served as the Chief of Staff to former President Roh Moo-hyun, a progressive who struggled to promote rapprochement and improved communications with Pyongyang.(2)
Moon Jae-in suggests maintaining engagement with North Korea in close consultation with South Korean allies holds the key to obtaining a diplomatic resolution of conflicts on the Korean Peninsula. He views a nuclear-free North Korea as essential for regional stability and prosperity.
Empathy With The Oppressed
Moon Jae-in has close personal reasons for desiring a permanent and peaceful resolution of conflicts in the Korean Peninsula. His parents originally resided in North Korea. They fled for refuge in Busan in 1950. Moon Jae-in spent his childhood living in poverty in the aftermath of the war.
He eventually completed mandatory military service where he served in South Korea’s special forces. Later, he became an attorney and worked to promote human rights and greater civil liberties.(2) Much of his support in the current election comes from younger voters in their twenties and thirties.(3)
Opening Dialogue With Pyongyang
What types of policies might Moon Jae-in pursue in office? Previously, he vowed to visit North Korea as one way to open new channels of communication between Seoul and Pyongyang.(3) (His ability to do so at the present time appears increasingly uncertain. Early in March, North Korea’s militaristic regime tested four new missiles; three landed in Japanese territorial waters. The incident sparked renewed international concern about Pyongyang’s unprecedented escalation of an arms race in Asia.)(4)
Moon Jae-in has also promised voters he will fight against corruption in South Korean politics by enacting reforms to regulate the activities of the conglomerates which command influence over the nation’s economy. These measures will likely enjoy widespread public approval in the wake of the recent scandal surrounding the Park Administration.(2)
South Korea’s Bright Future
If he wins the upcoming election this year, Moon Jae-in would possess a remarkable opportunity to help chart a new course for South Korea. His ability to effect important changes in the economy would likely depend upon his leadership skills. South Korea’s dynamic society will surely rebound from the current painful government crisis and move forward. Yet the person selected to serve as the nation’s new president will undoubtedly exercise a lot of influence over the course of events.
Anyone assuming an elected office following a national political scandal should expect to encounter obstacles, of course. For example in the United States, both President Gerald Ford and his successor, President Jimmy Carter, dealt with repercussions from the Watergate Scandal long after President Nixon’s resignation. Effecting meaningful reforms in South Korea might prove especially challenging in light of North Korea’s ongoing military build up.
References
(1) http://thediplomat.com/2017/02/south-koreas-dangerous-leadership-vacuum/
(2) http://www.todayonline.com/world/moon-clear-front-runner-after-ex-un-chief-ends-skorea-presidential-bid
(3) http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/784156.html