southkorea - EIAS

The EU as a Maritime Security Provider? Prospects for Cooperation with Japan and South Korea

As the centre of global geopolitical and economic competition shifts towards Asia, the EU’s economic interests in the Indo-Pacific bring maritime security issues in the region ever closer to home. However, if the EU cares to be recognized as a global maritime security actor, and protect its interests abroad, it will need to take concrete steps to strengthen maritime security cooperation with its Asian partners.

From Yoon to EU

On 10 May 2022, former prosecutor-general Yoon Suk-yeol began his 5-year term as the new President of the Republic of

South Korea’s Tightest Presidential Race in History: What Will Yoon’s Victory Bring to EU-ROK Relations?

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic Yoon Seok-Yeol of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) was elected as the ROK’s new president winning 48.56% of the votes. President-elect Yoon’s administration is expected to bring substantial change to South Korea’s foreign policy. Hence, what will be potential areas of future cooperation between the EU and South Korea under Yoon’s administration?

South Korea’s 20th presidential election: Finding a Korean balance between the US and China in the Indo-Pacific region

South Korea’s presidential election is scheduled to be held on 9 March 2022. The two major parties, the ruling liberal Democratic Party (DP) and the conservative People Power Party (PPP), nominated their presidential candidates, both of whom have no legislative experience in the National Assembly. The former Gyeonggi Province Governor, Lee Jae-Myung, was nominated by the DP to succeed incumbent President Moon Jae-In, and the former Prosecutor-General, Yoon Suk-Yeol, was nominated by the PPP (opposition camp) to rebrand the party following the 2017 impeachment of former President Park Geun-Hye.