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3 reasons South Korea's election could reshape Asia's alliances
Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung is poised to win South Korea's snap election, according to surveys. His victory could shift Seoul's foreign policy away from the US-Japan axis towards closer ties with China. read more
Lee Jae-myung (2nd R), the presidential candidate for South Korea's Democratic Party, casts his early vote for the upcoming presidential election at a polling station in Seoul as the Presedential elections on May 29, 2025. AFP
Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung is expected to win South Korea's , according to recent surveys reflecting the mood in the East Asian nation amid ongoing voting on Tuesday (3 June).
If Lee wins, the could shift Seoul's foreign policy from a pro-US-Japan axis, and could inch towards closer ties with China.
Lee's victory could shape the Asian dynamics
His South Korea's position on key issues such as relations with China, nuclear weapons, and North Korea, potentially altering the direction of a key US ally.
Pro-US President Yoon and his impeachment
Former President Yoon Suk-yeol, a conservative who was removed from office after attempting to declare martial law in December, had taken a strong pro-US line. He also received strong backing from Washington, adopted a tough stance on North Korea, and worked to improve ties with Japan.
Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 election, has often criticised South Korea's close alignment with the US. He has pledged to resume dialogue with North Korea and rejected Yoon's efforts at rapprochement with Japan.
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S Korea should avoid involvement in China-Taiwan conflict: Lee
During the campaign, Lee made headlines by saying South Korea should avoid involvement in any potential China-Taiwan conflict, though he later clarified he is not pro-China.
Later, Lee softens stance on US
In a bid to attract moderate voters, Lee has recently softened his rhetoric. He now voices support for the US alliance and says he will continue trilateral cooperation with Japan and the US—an alignment Washington views as vital for countering threats from China and North Korea.
This comes at a time when US President Donald Trump is drawing global attention with his tariff threats and foreign policy moves.
Trump-Lee clash coming?
It remains to be seen if Lee will stick to his new positions, and how they might clash with Trump, who has imposed tariffs on South Korea, demanded more payment for the 28,500 US troops there.
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'We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen… That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others." –President Trump — The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 4, 2025 Fragile Or Failing States Beyond direct terrorism links, many of the countries targeted in Trump's travel ban share one common trait: deep state fragility. This limits their ability to maintain civil registries, criminal databases, or cooperate with international law enforcement — core issues for US visa screening. The 2024 Fragile States Index, which ranks countries on political, security, economic, and humanitarian stability, places several of the fully banned nations among the world's most unstable: Somalia (Rank 1): Racked by decades of civil war, Somalia has no fully functioning central government, with large swathes controlled by Al-Shabaab militants. 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Chad (Rank 8): Marked by authoritarian rule, weak security infrastructure, and frequent insurgencies along its borders, Chad's institutional capacity for identity verification is severely limited. Afghanistan (Rank 9): Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, Afghanistan's legal and civil systems have collapsed. The US has cut nearly all security cooperation, and Taliban-controlled ministries offer little transparency or credible data on citizens. Libya (Rank 16): With rival governments competing for power and various militias controlling key regions, Libya's state institutions are fragmented. The absence of centralised governance makes security vetting highly challenging. Even beyond these top-tier fragile states, several others on Trump's list — including Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, and Myanmar — are viewed as authoritarian or dysfunctional states with limited transparency, cooperation or control over security vetting. Eritrea operates under a closed authoritarian regime with strict exit controls but little external cooperation. Equatorial Guinea has been cited for widespread corruption and opaque governance. Haiti faces political paralysis, gang violence, and frequent disruptions to government functions. Myanmar remains internationally isolated following its 2021 military coup, with sanctions and political repression further weakening state capacity. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the new order fulfils Trump's promise to 'protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm." President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or… — Abigail Jackson (@ATJackson47) June 4, 2025 Visa Overstay Violations The partial bans also heavily cite immigration violations, particularly high visa overstay rates, as a factor for restricted entry. Other countries like Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Burundi, Cuba, and Venezuela have been flagged for non-compliance with US visa tracking and insufficient cooperation with law enforcement. A Revival Of Trump's 2017 Travel Ban The latest order revives and broadens Trump's earlier 2017 travel ban, which initially targeted seven Muslim-majority nations, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. That policy was rescinded by former President Joe Biden in 2021, who called it 'a stain on our national conscience." President Trump reinforced the rationale behind the decision, saying: 'We will restore the travel ban, some people call it the Trump travel ban, and keep the radical Islamic terrorists out of our country that was upheld by the Supreme Court." top videos View all Conclusion While officially framed as a national security measure, Trump's revived travel ban reflects a combination of terrorism threats, fragile state risks, and visa enforcement failures. The move also aligns with his broader 'America First" approach to immigration and border security. With implementation set to take effect at 12:01 am on Monday (June 9), thousands of travellers, students, and families across these nations will now face an uncertain future. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @ More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : donald trump Travel ban Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 05, 2025, 09:51 IST News explainers Donald Trump's New Travel Ban: Why These 19 Countries Have Been Targeted
