Political strife in Seoul will hobble governance

Significance Political compromise between the main parties is at a three-decade low, with the DPK step being unprecedented. President Yoon Suk-yeol’s conservative People Power Party (PPP) has retaliated by launching legal cases against senior DPK figures. The stand-off leaves Yoon unable to legislate while also facing controversies over corruption and a widening doctors’ strike. Impacts Continued gridlock could block reforms to pension and healthcare finances, both of which risk insolvency unless contributions rise soon. Despite more foreign policy autonomy, Yoon’s domestic weakness will diminish Seoul’s global standing, imperilling rapprochement with Japan. Inter-party tensions could mean Yoon faces impeachment, but this would need some (unlikely) defections from the PPP.