An Analysis of South Korea’s China Policy under the Lee Jaemyung Administration : Based on the Early Governing Practices of Pragmatic Diplomacy
Lee Jaemyung was elected as the 21st President of ROK, and his pre-inauguration statements and early diplomatic practices revealed a clear pragmatic foreign policy orientation emphasizing “mutual respect,” “pragmatism,” and “strategic flexibility” while rejecting the subordination of Korean diplomacy to rigid geopolitical alignments. Amid intensifying China–U.S. strategic competition and heightened security tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Korea’s China policy has become a key variable shaping both bilateral relations and regional stability. Using literature analysis and case studies, this research examines Lee Jaemyung’s pre-election positions and early diplomatic actions to identify the core orientation and prospective trajectory of Korea’s China policy. It argues that while maintaining the ROK–U.S. alliance as a central pillar, Lee administration seeks a relatively autonomous diplomatic space toward China, and its pragmatic approach may facilitate a new phase of China –Korea relations centered on pragmatic coordination and complementary interests, albeit constrained by China–U.S. rivalry, and domestic political cycles.
2025年6月3日,共同民主党的李在明正式当选韩国第二十一届总统。在 其就任前和就任初期的一系列外交活动和政策表态中,实用主义外交路线 逐渐明确。李在明的实用主义外交强调了“相互尊重”、“实用主义”和“战略 灵活性”等,明确表示不会让韩国外交被地缘政治所绑架,在此期间韩国新 政府的对话外交政策亦是如此。与此同时,国际形势日趋复杂,中美竞争 持续升温,半岛安全局势敏感,韩国的外交政策也不断面临来自世界各国 的各种挑战,实用主义外交能否经受检验值得关注。其中,韩国的对华外 交政策走向不仅影响双边关系,也对地区战略稳定产生深远影响。因此, 分析新任李在明政府的外交理念、对华表态与实际政策逻辑,预测其对华 政策走向具有重要理论与现实意义。本研究采用文献分析法与案例分析 法,围绕李在明执政前的表态和执政初期的相关外交实践,提炼李在明政 府执政时期韩国对华外交政策的基调以及今后走向。研究认为李在明政府 的对华政策在坚持韩美同盟的同时尝试构建相对独立的对华外交空间,其 实用主义取向或将推动中韩关系进入一个以“现实协调与利益互补”为核心 的新阶段,但仍受制于中美博弈及韩国国内政治周期等变量。