Park’s ouster leaves next administration with diplomatic and security headaches

Posted on : 2017-03-14 16:46 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
After election in May, new government will have to manage THAAD deployment, and relations with China and Japan
Acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn closes his eyes as he arrives at the Central Government Complex in Seoul
Acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn closes his eyes as he arrives at the Central Government Complex in Seoul

The four years of the Park Geun-hye administration left the diplomatic and security environment around the Korean Peninsula worse off than before. South Korea-China relations celebrated a high-water mark in Sep. 2015 with Park’s attendance at a celebration of China’s World War II victory, at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. These days, they are in dire straits over the unilateral decision to deploy a THAAD missile diplomacy system in South Korea. In terms of relations with Japan, Seoul reached a surprise agreement on the comfort women issue on Dec. 28, 2015; now, pressure to renegotiate it is intense, with widespread objections to what is seen as its hastily concluded terms. Whichever administration takes office in South Korea two months from now will inherit a diplomatic and security situation bordering on ruin.

The Constitutional Court’s decision to uphold Park’s impeachment means the election will have to take place in May. This means that how the administration of acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn manages these serious issues over the roughly two months until the new government takes office is emerging as a serious diplomatic and security issue. Experts are arguing the importance of maintaining stability over attempting any radical moves.

“For now, there’s going to have to be a halt to any further action on sensitive domestic issues like THAAD or the comfort women,” Dongseo University Japan Research Center head Cho Sae-young said on Mar. 13.

“Now that Park‘s impeachment has been upheld, the Hwang administration is going to need to stick to the role of a transitional government so that the situation doesn’t deteriorate any further,” Cho suggested.

Yonsei University professor Choi Jong-kun agreed that the Hwang administration should focus on playing a managerial role.

“In being so tough with the recall of its ambassador to South Korea, Japan is pushing things to the brink because it knows how vulnerable the administration in Seoul is after [Park‘s] impeachment,” Choi said.

The message is that because Tokyo is attempting to see its intentions through as much as possible while an acting president is in office - recognizing that the next administration may try to renegotiate or void the comfort women agreement - the current government should focus on keeping the situation stable and waiting for the next administration to take office rather than becoming involved in the issue.

Experts also sounded notes of concern about pushing ahead with the THAAD deployment, which has left relations with Beijing at rock-bottom.

“For now, we need to call a halt to the current THAAD deployment process,” said Inje University professor Kim Yeon-chul.

The South Korean and US militaries have been rushing ahead with the deployment, bringing THAAD missile launchers and other equipment into South Korea since Mar. 6.

“There are a lot of steps that have to be cleared in terms of domestic law, including National Assembly ratification and legal issues related to the use of military facilities,” Kim said.

“It would be acting above the law [for the acting administration] to proceed with the deployment when the impeachment has left it without political legitimacy,” he added.

Some suggested that while the THAAD deployment with US Forces Korea may go ahead according to set procedure, the South Korean government should avoid provoking Beijing by giving the appearance of a blitz campaign.

“With the THAAD deployment, there’s no choice but to follow the set procedure, but it’s not a good idea for [the acting government] to provoke China by acting like it’s something it’s doing itself,” said Hankuk University of Foreign Studies professor Kang Jun-young.

By Kim Ji-eun, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

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