South Korea Presidential Candidates Allegedly Politicizing The Russia-Ukraine War; US, China, and North Korea Are Eyeing Election Result

On February 25, Lee Jae-Myung, a candidate for the ruling Democratic Party, stuck his foot in his mouth during a presidential debate in South Korea. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he alleged, "provoked Russia because he lacked knowledge of politics and diplomacy." The president of Ukraine is to blame for the commencement of conflict."

On Reddit, messages decrying Lee's crude remarks swiftly spread. The majority of users chastised him. Unfortunately, Lee was hardly the first South Korean politician to make controversial comments about the Ukraine conflict. Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae claimed that the former comedian's irresponsible attitude toward Russia was the cause of the conflict. "He triggered the invasion of Ukraine by the Kremlin."

South Korean Presidential Candidates Often Discuss Ukraine Crisis

The conflict in Ukraine, according to Lee and Choo, indicates that their national security policies, which include renouncing an armaments buildup and seeking peace negotiations with North Korea, are the only solution. After receiving harsh criticism for their statements on the war, Lee apologized for his foolish remarks. Many people, on the other hand, questioned if his apology was genuine or only a thinly veiled ploy to avoid a vote loss ahead of the presidential race.

While citizens chastised Lee for his words, Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate from the People Power Party, condemned Lee for defaming Ukraine's president and apologized for Lee's remarks against Ukraine as a presidential candidate in Korea.

However, Yoon's social media statements showed that his apology was only a ruse to avoid losing votes. Yoon said the conflict in Ukraine is evidence that Lee's ideas on national security, particularly his policies toward Pyongyang, were incorrect on February 24, when Russia attacked Ukraine, according to The Diplomat.

South Korea's Election Result Watched by US, North Korea, and China

A conservative win in South Korea's next presidential election might result in the country adopting a hardline attitude toward North Korea and China, thus reigniting Asia-Pacific tensions.

The conservative People Power Party's Yoon Seok-youl and the ruling Democratic Party's Lee Jae-Myung are the front-runners for the March 9 election. According to a series of opinion polls performed by Gallup Korea, Yoon and Lee are neck and neck, predicting a close fight. Lee had a 38 percent favorable rating in a poll of 1,000 respondents conducted on February 25, compared to 37 percent for Yoon. In a survey taken in early February, the two were deadlocked at 35%.

Economic issues, notably housing, dominate this election. However, given North Korea's continued missile tests and domestic anti-China sentiment, foreign policy issues are likely to affect public opinion. A lot is riding on South Korea's geopolitical fate, with each contender holding opposing views on North Korea, China, and the United States.

While each contender has fundamentally different views on inter-Korean ties and the US-China competition, numerous observers believe the Asia-Pacific security and political dynamics do not allow for significant changes in foreign policy, CNBC reported.

On March 9, South Koreans will pick a new president, with the two leading candidates holding opposing views on leading Asia's third-largest economy and managing nuclear-armed neighbors China and North Korea.

The conservatives have chosen the former top prosecutor and political newbie Yoon Suk-yeol to try to reclaim the presidency from the progressives, who have nominated Lee Jae-Myung, a former governor of the country's most populated province. The president is elected for a single five-year term and will succeed Moon Jae-in, who plans to hand over the reins to Lee, a fellow Democratic Party member, as per Bloomberg.