Final Debate Showdown: Presidential candidates clash on security, diplomacy, and political Reform

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

In the final televised debate before the presidential election, four major candidates faced off on the most pressing issues in politics, diplomacy and national security.

On May 27th, the stage was set for a revealing confrontation: the Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung emphasized diplomacy and engagement, pledging to restore the 9/19 military agreement, while pursuing balanced ties with the U.S., China, and Russia.

The People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo countered with a hardline agenda — calling for the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, and a NATO-style nuclear-sharing deal.

The Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok proposed a sweeping reorganization of government, merging the unification and foreign ministries under a new security deputy prime minister.

The Democratic Labor Party's Kwon Young-guk pledged to abolish the military's counterintelligence command and restart peace talks.

As candidates clashed over North Korea, alliance costs, and wartime control, the debate laid bare a stark divide — offering voters a critical lens into each party's vision for the Republic of Korea's security and sovereignty.

To delve deeper into the candidates' policies on the Korean peninsula, we invited Go Myong-hyun, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy, into the studio with us. Welcome.

Also joining us online is Christophe Gaudin, professor of political science at Kookmin University. Good to see you.

1. (GO) To start with the big picture just yesterday, the final TV debate among the four presidential candidates was held, focusing on foreign and security policy. What stood out most to you in terms of how each candidate framed their priorities?

2. (GAUDIN) Let's start by unpacking how they framed their core priorities, especially with regard to national security and foreign policy So all presidential candidates have pledged to pursue pragmatic diplomacy centered on the ROK-U.S. alliance. However, critics argue that they failed to present specific blueprints. How would you assess the candidates' diplomatic and security pledges?

3. (GO) Diving deeper into inter-Korean policy The candidates showed differing views on North Korea's denuclearization and ways to restore inter-Korean relations. DP Candidate Lee Jae-myung emphasized reviving the September 19 Military Agreement as part of reinitiating the denuclearization process. What challenges must be overcome to make this happen in this situation?

4. (GAUDIN) Building on that PPP Candidate Kim Moon-soo stressed a principled North Korea policy based on preconditions for denuclearization. He even suggested reviewing the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons or adopting a NATO-style "nuclear sharing" policy to strengthen nuclear deterrence. This became a major point of contention with the DP's Lee Jae-myung. What is your assessment of Kim's policy? Is it realistic?

5. (GAUDIN) Turning now to structural reform proposals RP Candidate Lee Jun-seok proposed merging the Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and appointing a "Deputy Prime Minister for Security" to oversee diplomacy, unification and defense. How would this merger affect the consistency and flexibility of domestic and foreign policy strategy?

6. (GO) On the topic of military oversight DLP Candidate Kwon Young-guk, who pledged to restart the Korean Peninsula peace process, proposed abolishing the Defense Counterintelligence Command (DCIC), citing its involvement in last year's martial law controversy. What is your opinion on the pledge to abolish the DCIC?

7. (GAUDIN) Zooming out to alliance management The candidates also expressed differing opinions on the issue of increasing South Korea's share of defense costs for U.S. Forces Korea. Notably, the PPP's Kim Moon-soo left room for a possible increase. How effective are the proposed solutions to this cost-sharing issue under the next administration?

8. (GO) Staying with alliance dynamics Among Lee Jae-myung's foreign and security pledges, the plan to reclaim wartime operational control (OPCON) stands out. If OPCON transfer occurs, what changes might it bring to the ROK-U.S. combined defense structure?

9. (GAUDIN) And finally, looking at the bigger diplomatic chessboard With the geopolitical landscape on the Korean Peninsula shifting — U.S.-China tensions, and strengthening North Korea-Russia ties — foreign and security policies have never been more crucial. With less than a week left until the election, what should voters prioritize when evaluating the candidates' foreign and security pledges?