Why South Korea’s next president could reset diplomacy

To follow up on that, our correspondent Kim Jung-sil joins us in the studio.

Jung-sil, as you compared policy positions between the candidates in your report, was there anything worth noticing? What can you tell us in detail?

Yes, Jungmin.

One thing that stood out is that despite their political differences, and while they vary in emphasis and detail, all three candidates share a common focus on the ROK-U.S. alliance, and support the idea of resuming dialogue with North Korea.

Let's start with Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, who unveiled his foreign policy platform just yesterday.

A notable shift is his approach to North Korea, which seems more cautious than that of previous progressive administrations.

While former President Moon Jae-in emphasized engagement, Lee is focusing on practical progress, particularly on the nuclear issue.

Some analysts link the shift to changing global dynamics and renewed uncertainty over U.S. policy toward Pyongyang under President Trump.

That was on the liberal side.

Now, what about Kim Moon-soo on the conservative side?

Kim takes a defense-first approach: calling for stronger military coordination with the U.S. and raising the idea of tactical nuclear deterrence.

One thing that stood out from his campaign was his response to how South Korea should balance between the U.S. and China.

He rejected the idea, saying it could lead to mistrust from both sides.

While recognizing the value of economic ties with China, he also emphasizes the need to avoid overdependence through supply chain resilience and trade diversification.

He has also expressed interest in meeting President Xi Jinping at this year's APEC summit.

And what about Lee Jun-seok, another conservative-leaning candidate?

Lee Jun-seok hasn't laid out a full foreign policy plan, but his recent remarks point to a broad, future-oriented approach.

Last month, he proposed space and technology cooperation with Japan, citing the potential for synergy through shared infrastructure.

He also said he would suggest a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un without preconditions.

We'll likely hear more from him and the other candidates in tonight's televised debate, which will cover both political and foreign policy issues.

Certainly a lot to watch for tonight, thank you, Jung-sil.

My pleasure.