Former U.S. Ambassadors: Lee Jae-myung administration's 'pro-China' label is exaggerated

Former U.S. Ambassadors to South Korea Philip Goldberg and Kathleen Stephens have pushed back against characterizations of the Lee Jae-myung administration as 'hard-left' or 'pro-China,' labeling such assessments as exaggerated. Speaking at a seminar hosted by the Korea Economic Institute in Washington, they addressed recent criticisms, including a Wall Street Journal op-ed that suggested the Lee administration was threatening the alliance.

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There is a tendency for progressive governments in Korea to be less reflexively pro-American on certain aspects of U.S. international policy.

Goldberg, who served as ambassador from 2022 to 2025, conceded that progressive governments in South Korea may exhibit less automatic pro-Americanism on international policy. However, he directly countered claims of Lee being a "radical communist," stating, "I don't know where that story comes from. I've met him, and I didn't get that impression." Goldberg praised Lee as a "very capable politician" who understands the value of the U.S. alliance, including the nuclear umbrella, and has sought cooperation with the U.S. on difficult trade and investment issues.

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I don't know where that story comes from. I've met him, and I didn't get that impression.

Kathleen Stephens, ambassador from 2008 to 2011, added that South Korean public opinion polls consistently show bipartisan support for the alliance. She asserted that Lee is aware of the majority Korean public's desire for strong bilateral ties. Stephens distinguished between anti-Americanism and opposition to specific U.S. policies, calling the use of the term 'anti-Americanism' in contemporary Korean politics "very anachronistic."

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He is a very capable politician. That was revealed again through yesterday's election results. He understands the value of the alliance with the United States, particularly the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

Both former diplomats suggested that the Lee administration's approach to China is more of a policy recalibration than a full embrace of Beijing. Goldberg described it as a "rebalancing" rather than a "full-blown pro-China policy," contrasting it with the more China-skeptic stance of the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration. However, they also cautioned that the alliance is undergoing a significant reorientation, moving from a values and security-based partnership towards a more transactional and uncertain relationship, particularly in light of potential shifts in U.S. policy.

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Support for the alliance between Korea and the United States continues to grow across the political spectrum, according to South Korean opinion polls.