South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has introduced a profound shift in the country’s foreign policy, aligning it more closely with the United States. Yet this bold strategic redirection has not necessarily translated to a rise in his domestic approval ratings.

Yoon – devoid of a foreign policy background – took the reins of the presidency in 2022. Conventional wisdom suggested he would home in on domestic matters. Surprisingly, he charted a foreign policy course markedly different from South Korea’s immediate past, in a clear tilt towards the United States.