New partner? Indo-Pacific leaders express hope for Yoon

Incoming South Korean president embraces Quad, wants to rebuild Japan ties

Yoon Suk-yeol's victory in South Korea's presidential election should be a boon to U.S. President Joe Biden's efforts to create a united front in the Indo-Pacific. (Photo courtesy of the White House)

KEN MORIYASU, WATARU SUZUKI and AKANE OKUTSU, Nikkei staff writers

March 10, 2022 16:13 JST

TOKYO -- From calling for a complete denuclearization of North Korea to vowing to join Quad working groups, incoming South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to drastically change the country's foreign policy.

Indo-Pacific and other Western leaders, set to benefit from Yoon's win, quickly congratulated the conservative former prosecutor on his victory over Lee Jae-myung of the governing progressive Democratic Party in one of the closest races in the country's history.