{"id":2198133,"date":"2022-08-09T19:46:50","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T10:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/pro\/?p=2198133"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:11:46","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:11:46","slug":"yoons-botched-handling-of-pelosi-visit-sends-muddled-diplomatic-messages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/08\/yoons-botched-handling-of-pelosi-visit-sends-muddled-diplomatic-messages\/","title":{"rendered":"Yoon\u2019s botched handling of Pelosi visit sends muddled diplomatic messages"},"content":{"rendered":"
Whether or not it was due to poor strategy or general incompetence, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration\u2019s botched handling of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi\u2019s <\/span>recent visit<\/span><\/a> likely won it few friends in Washington.<\/span><\/p>\n Since announcing his run for the presidency last year, Yoon has portrayed himself as staunchly pro-American, in contrast to his predecessor who he says <\/span>undercut South Korean security<\/span><\/a> by appeasing China.<\/span><\/p>\n But when push comes to shove, it looks like his administration isn\u2019t as unwaveringly supportive of the U.S. as it likes to make out, and its muddled approach that tries to please everyone risks alienating Washington, Beijing and even the South Korean electorate.<\/span><\/p>\n Even though Pelosi isn\u2019t the leader of the U.S., the leaders of Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia all welcomed her during her recent Asia trip. Yoon was the only leader that didn\u2019t greet her in person.<\/span><\/p>\n Yoon did phone Pelosi when she was in South Korea. But Seoul even mismanaged the leadup to this: First Yoon wasn\u2019t going to meet Pelosi because he was on vacation, then reports suggested he would meet her, then the presidential office refuted these rumors and then it announced that there would be a call at the last minute.<\/span><\/p>\n But Pelosi didn\u2019t need to come all the way to the Korean Peninsula for a phone call that she could have made from her office in Washington.<\/span><\/p>\n Adding insult to injury, Seoul <\/span>didn\u2019t even send a delegation<\/span><\/a> to welcome Pelosi when she arrived at the airport.<\/span><\/p>\n This kerfuffle could have been the result of the Yoon administration\u2019s ineptitude more than a lack of support for the U.S. But neglecting Pelosi may have also been an attempt to avoid drawing China\u2019s wrath.<\/span><\/p>\n