Yoon’s first year journey to normalize state management’s framework, scholars say

May 09, 2023, 09:10 am

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(From left) Kim Yong-ho, Visiting Professor at Seoul National University Asia Center, Sun Sang-shin, Executive President of AsiaToday, Lee Kark-bum, Professor Emeritus at KAIST, and Kang Sung-jin, Professor at Korea University, hold a meeting to mark President Yoon Suk-yeol’s first year in office, at AsiaToday headquarters in Seoul on May 8, 2023./ Photographed by Song Eui-joo

AsiaToday reporters Lee Seok-jong & Park Ji-eun

“It was a tough journey to save South Korea that has fallen into a slump.” (Lee Kark-bum, Professor Emeritus at KAIST)

“It was a time to change the framework of management of state.” (Kim Yong-ho, Visiting Professor at Seoul National University Asia Center)

“It was an year trying to normalize the framework of the nation, which was going against liberal democratic system.” (Kang Sung-jin, Professor at Korea University)

These are the remarks of scholars who have been watching President Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration of state affairs for the past year.

Hosted by Sun Sang-shin, Executive President of AsiaToday, the meeting was held at AsiaToday headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday. The scholars analyzed Yoon’s first year in office in politics, economy, and security, and showed anticipation towards Yoon’s next four years in office.

“The previous Moon Jae-in government implemented a policy of retreating the country of the 21st century to the 19th century,” prof. Lee said. “The first year of the Yoon government was a process of restoring liberal democracy, market economy, security posture, and lost alliances.”

On Yoon’s visit to the U.S. and his summit with Biden, prof. Lee said, “With the summit, both South Korea and the U.S. has expanded its military alliance to five alliances including economic, value-based, high-tech, and space alliances.” He stressed that the nation achieved a paradigm shift that guarantees security and development within the international order.

“Yoon has been striving for freedom, fairness and common sense, which were used as indicators of state management,” prof. Kim said. “Although non-liberalism and authoritarianism were expressed externally and (ideological) nationalism still existed in Korea, the previous regime’s ideological stance has been restored to liberal democracy in terms of policy, and the state-led economic management method is successfully transformed into a business-led market economy,” he said.

“The phrase ‘normalization of abnormalities’ would be perfect,” prof. Kang said, adding, “The Yoon government was launched at a time when it was very tough economically and politically. Therefore, it is still lacking in normalization.”

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