[Correspondent Column] Biden's 'Democracy Summit' and Daehanminguk

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The 'Summit for Democracy' announced by President-elect Joe Biden is gaining renewed attention. This summit, which did not receive much focus during the election process, has emerged as a key issue as Biden emphasizes the restoration of U.S. foreign policy.

Biden introduced this summit as part of his campaign promises. The goal of the summit set by Biden is for democratic countries around the world to come together to strengthen democratic systems and to candidly confront countries that regress democracy by establishing a joint agenda. More specifically, the summit aims to combat corruption, defend against dictatorship and authoritarianism including safeguarding election results, and expand human rights both domestically and internationally.

Biden was the first to announce members of his cabinet in the foreign and security sectors. This was to emphasize that the U.S. has returned to international diplomacy despite being devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Major foreign media also reported that there is no better way to signal the U.S. regime change than by reasserting global democracy, which is the stance of the incoming Biden administration.

This summit is expected to be a decisive opportunity to expand South Korea's diplomatic influence. A major foreign media outlet introduced the possibility that Biden might organize this summit as a meeting of the Democratic 10 (D10), including the Group of Seven (G7), India, South Korea, and Australia.

The Center for American Progress, a progressive U.S. think tank, also proposed a two-stage summit scenario. The center suggested holding a first-stage summit in 2021 including South Korea and Australia in the G7. South Korea and Australia are naturally considered participants in the expanded G7 summit as U.S. allies.

The center also mentioned that adding Brazil, India, and South Africa could be considered. Then, in 2022, it advised holding a genuine summit for all democratic countries worldwide. By that time, in-person meetings would be possible, making it an optimal time to hold the summit in preparation for the post-COVID-19 era.

The U.S. definition of participating countries also contains risk factors. It is certain that China and Russia will not be invited. The U.S. political media outlet Politico predicted, "Russia is implicated due to interference in U.S. elections, and China is viewed as a long-term threat to global democracy due to its combination of economic power and political authoritarianism," suggesting that these issues are likely to become core agenda items at the summit. This indicates that the confrontation with China will not easily disappear even after the Biden administration takes office.

The Center for American Progress also expressed concern that the U.S. may have to attack partner countries during the process of deciding which countries qualify as democracies.

These points resonate with the situation South Korea faces. North Korea is a dictatorship but also a blood relative, and China, the main target of the summit's checks, is South Korea's most important economic partner. In a way, this means that under the Biden administration, South Korea's position could be even more difficult than under the Donald Trump administration.

The return of a president and traditional diplomatic officials who adhere to principles and rules, rather than a quick-calculating businessman president, is not something to be taken lightly. There are already evaluations that the Biden administration has less interest in North Korea.

South Korea's diplomatic authorities must not forget the growing need for proactive measures to secure our international influence and to prevent any potential damage.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.