US Ally South Korea Set to Improve China Ties If Lee Wins Vote

A win for the left-of-center frontrunner in South Korea’s presidential election would likely herald more caution by Seoul over taking sides in US-China rivalry, a new effort to draw North Korea into dialogue and the potential for tension with Japan.

Lee Jae-myung, the candidate for the Democratic Party in the June 3 election, has hewed toward the political center in his foreign policy positions in recent weeks, dropping some of his more critical past rhetoric about its US ally and Japan. That’s a shift in line with his toning down of economic policies as he tries to shore up his chances of landing the presidency in his third attempt.