South Korea enters the "Yin Xiyue era", the new government faces multiple tests

(International Review) South Korea has entered the "Yin Xiyue Era", the new government is facing multiple tests

　　China News Agency, Seoul, May 10th: South Korea has entered the "Yin Xiyue Era" and the new government is facing multiple tests

　　Author Liu Xu Liu Jingni

　　On the 10th local time, Yin Xiyue officially took office as the 20th President of South Korea and attended the inauguration ceremony in front of the National Assembly Hall in Yeouido, Seoul that morning.

　　South Korean public opinion pointed out that the inauguration of the new president represents a "regime change", but no matter which political party is in power, the government needs to fight against the "stubborn diseases" of South Korea's society and economy, and seek solutions for the country's development.

At present, South Korea's low fertility rate and aging problems are obvious. In addition to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and the background of changes in the regional political pattern, the new South Korean government will face a series of internal, security and diplomatic challenges after taking office.

Actively preparing for the handover period of "political newcomers"

　　As a "political newcomer" without parliamentary political experience, since winning the election, Yin Xiyue and the South Korean Presidential Handover Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "handover committee") have been intensively planning the internal and foreign affairs of the new government during the two-month handover period.

　　On the 3rd of this month, the handover committee released the new government's governance vision, principles, goals and 110 national affairs issues. The overall emphasis is on economic security, mainly focusing on promoting the normalization of the property market, reforming and building an innovative financial system, and promoting the national annuity (pension). ) system reform, the realization of the denuclearization of the peninsula and the peace and equality tasks.

The handover committee predicts that the additional budget required for the above-mentioned governance issues is about 209 trillion won (about 1.1 trillion yuan).

　　In addition, Yin Xiyue has also participated in many foreign affairs activities in the past two months.

According to a reporter from China News Agency, after Yin Xiyue was elected, he joined Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Biden, British Prime Minister Johnson, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Australian Prime Minister Morrison, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a telephone conversation, met with the ambassadors of China, India, Germany, Japan and other countries to South Korea and the Charge d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in South Korea, and dispatched a Korea-US policy consultation delegation and a Korea-Japan policy consultation delegation Visit the United States and Japan.

　　In terms of the formation of the new government, on April 14, local time, Yin Xiyue completed the nomination of 18 department heads and prime ministers of the new South Korean cabinet, and after the inauguration ceremony on May 10, he signed and approved the nomination of the prime minister at the Presidential Palace in Yongsan. Han Deok-soo's personnel appointment case, and officially appointed the heads of 7 departments.

　　It is worth noting that on the 3rd of this month, Kim In-cheol, who was nominated as the deputy prime minister and minister of education in charge of social affairs, voluntarily resigned due to his involvement in the controversy, and Jung Ho-yong, the candidate for minister of health and welfare, was also questioned because of the controversy over the "back door" of his children. .

"The Hankyoreh" commented on this, saying that the new government still needs to continue to "break through".

　　Local elections may be the first "big test"

　　In terms of internal affairs, the countdown to the 8th National Simultaneous Local Elections (hereinafter referred to as "local elections") to be held on June 1 begins.

As the first nationwide election after the establishment of the Yin Xiyue government, the election was called by the Korean media as "the extension of the general election" and "the battlefield where neither the government nor the opposition can back down."

Due to the very small gap between the two parties' candidates in this year's presidential election, for the current ruling party, the National Power Party, the victory in the March election is likely to become the capital of its victory in June; for the former ruling party, the Common Democratic Party Said that local elections are very likely to be an opportunity to regain a city.

　　Therefore, with less than a month left, the two parties are expected to continue their "showdown" at the regional development policy level.

"Asia Daily" commented that this election is not only a major reshuffle of the power map of local governments, but also will have many impacts on the new government's future policy formulation and implementation. It can be described as the first "big test" of the Yin Xiyue government after taking office.

　　"Han Minzu Daily" commented on the 10th that in front of Yin Xiyue, domestic and foreign issues are piled up.

The immediate priority is to heal the divisions exacerbated by the election campaign and to achieve national unity.

There are also many people who suggest that in the Congress "toward Ono", the political power should be exerted through communication with the opposition Common Democratic Party.

　　Diplomatic Security Tests Ruling Wisdom

　　According to South Korean sources, since the beginning of this year, North Korea has fired several short-range ballistic missiles suspected of being submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and the situation on the peninsula has become increasingly tense.

In his inaugural speech on the 10th, Yin Xiyue stated that South Korea will open the door to dialogue and strive for a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear issue.

If North Korea achieves true denuclearization, South Korea will work with the international community to formulate a bold plan to help North Korea make an epoch-making improvement in its economic situation and the quality of life of its residents.

　　The Jingxiang Daily called Yin Xiyue's economic support for North Korea "a bold plan."

The article pointed out that although Yin Xiyue did not give a specific explanation, the strategy is nothing more than a step-by-step plan involving infrastructure, financial investment, industrial technology and other aspects.

　　Zheng Changchang, director of the Korean Studies Center of the Sejong Institute in South Korea, said on the 10th that the peninsula issue is difficult to solve within the five-year term of a president, and the South Korean government and opposition must jointly formulate a mid- and long-term development blueprint for dealing with the peninsula issue.

In addition, in resolving the DPRK nuclear issue and advancing policy toward the DPRK, the cooperation between the government and the opposition in South Korea is also very important.

　　Focusing on the diplomatic test of the Yin Xiyue government after taking office, Min Kyung-tae, a professor at the National Unification Institute of South Korea, said that the new government must face the rising tension on the Korean peninsula due to geopolitical conflicts, break the existing confrontation pattern, and promote the geopolitical development of Northeast Asia. Make a big change and advance new ideas for a new era.

　　In terms of South Korea-China relations, Yin Xiyue said on the 10th when she met with Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative and vice president Wang Qishan after the inauguration ceremony that the South Korean government is willing to take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to continuously strengthen the relationship between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect. High-level strategic communication and exchanges at all levels will further strengthen bilateral exchanges and pragmatic cooperation in various fields, enhance people-to-people friendship, and promote ROK-China relations to open a new era.

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