Seoul’s High-Wire Act: Juggling U.S. Security, Chinese Economy, and Public Anger

South Korea’s foreign policy is a perilous high-wire act, with President Lee Jae Myung balancing U.S. security demands on one side, Chinese economic interests on the other, and a restive public below. This precarious performance was on full display during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit.
On one side of the balancing pole is the U.S. alliance. This was evident as Lee, fresh from a visit with U.S. President Trump, had to raise the contentious 2017 THAAD missile system dispute with Xi. This U.S.-led deployment remains a major source of friction with Beijing.
On the other side is the massive weight of the Chinese economy. This was the focus for President Xi, whose state media celebrated the signing of seven new economic agreements, including a currency swap. Xi’s call for “mutual respect” was a request for Seoul not to let its U.S. alliance topple their lucrative partnership.
Shaking the wire from below were the South Korean protesters. Hundreds rallied in Seoul against Chinese influence, showing that Lee’s domestic audience is deeply divided and suspicious of his balancing act. This public anger limits Lee’s room to maneuver.
And as if the act weren’t difficult enough, North Korea actively tried to knock him off the wire. Lee’s plea for Xi to help restart dialogue was met with a swift and public rejection from Pyongyang, which called the idea a “pipe dream,” proving that in this high-stakes performance, failure is an ever-present possibility.