6 days ago
World leaders congratulate Lee Jae-myung on election win
Opposition in Seoul criticizes delayed first phone call with Trump
President Lee Jae-myung's victory on Tuesday prompted a wave of congratulatory messages from around the world, but his political opponents in Seoul noted that the customary Day One phone call with the US president was delayed.
The latest statement from the presidential spokesperson, Kang Yu-jung, did not mention when Lee's first phone call with US President Donald Trump might take place.
On Thursday, Kang said the South Korean president's call with Trump was being arranged, adding that factors like different time zones had to be put into consideration.
Some within the opposition in Seoul pointed out that past South Korean presidents usually held the first over-the-phone talks with their US counterparts on the day they assumed office, if not the day after.
"I think there are two possibilities at play. One is that Washington seems to have doubts about where the new South Korean president stands on China," People Power Party Rep. Ihn Yohan, on the National Assembly's foreign committee, told The Korea Herald.
"The other is that trade talks with other countries are a bit stalled, and being given a priority. We hope it is the latter."
The White House's statement on Lee's presidential win on Wednesday included an unusual mention of China.
"The US-ROK Alliance remains ironclad. While South Korea had a free and fair election, the United States remains concerned and opposed to Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world," the statement said, according to Reuters.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended a more neutral congratulations.
"We congratulate President Lee Jae-myung on his election as the next president of the Republic of Korea," he said.
Rubio said the two allies "share an ironclad commitment to the Alliance grounded in our Mutual Defense Treaty, shared values, and deep economic ties."
Rubio also highlighted continuity of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, Japan and the US and building on shared values.
"We will also continue to deepen US-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation to bolster regional security, enhance economic resilience, and build our shared democratic principles," he said.
More well wishes came in from US Congress members.
Sen. Bill Hagerty on Friday congratulated Lee on his win via social platform Twitter.
"As a senator and former US ambassador to Japan, I look forward to working with Seoul to continue strengthening the US-ROK Alliance and the US-ROK-Japan trilateral strategic partnership," the Republican senator said.
The US Congressional Korea Caucus issued a statement Wednesday and said they looked forward to "working together with President Lee Jae-myung and his administration during this critical time for the alliance."
"We also wish to recognize the estimated 2 million Korean Americans throughout the United States who play a vital role in maintaining our strong bilateral relationship," the Korea Caucus statement said.
Key regional neighbors including China and Japan congratulated Lee soon after his election was called.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing places a "high priority on its relationship with Seoul, and is ready to work closely with the incoming administration to deepen bilateral ties."
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, calling Lee's win a "reflection of the will of the Korean people," said he hoped for "renewed relations after years of strain between the two countries."
"It is in our mutual interest to work closely together on issues of security, historical reconciliation and regional stability," he said.
Lee also received congratulations from Taiwan.
President Lai Ching-te extended "sincerest congratulations to the people of the Republic of Korea and President Lee," according to the Taiwanese president's spokesperson Karen Kuo.
Kuo said Lai hoped to "deepen bilateral relations" with Seoul, and "jointly help contribute to democracy, peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region."
Over the campaign, Lee said he would take a "pragmatic approach" in dealing with both China and Taiwan in a possible contingency.
