Beijing will push Seoul harder for a meaningful compromise on the THAAD issue. It is well aware of what Korea thinks and even admitted to oppressing imports of Korean cultural products when a pack of Minjoo party lawmakers visited Beijing after the impeachment bill.
That the favorite candidate still thinks he can alter the course of THAAD deployment may further embolden Beijing. China will seek to raise the volume on unofficial channels such as popular anti-Koreanism.
In other words, THAAD looks likely to eat up the whole election campaign. And this is the best the conservatives, on the brink of extinction, could hope for.
Because national security issues have never been Moon’s strong suit.
featured image: USFK/Flickr
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