U.S. Republican and Democratic Party Platforms and Foreign Policy Prospects

Dr. LEE Sang Hyun

Senior Research Fellow,

The Sejong Institute

shlee@sejong.org

English Abstract

Depending on the results of upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential election, the U.S. and the world will meet a new era of diplomacy with “Trumpism 2.0” or “Reset 2.0” policy. If the current U.S. President Donald Trump gets reelected, no significant change in foreign policy is foreseeable. The U.S. will maintain its “neo-isolationist” policies based on the “America-first” principle. Recent efforts for full range pressure against China, revision of trade agreements that were disadvantageous for the U.S. and reduction of the U.S. defense cost for troops stationed abroad are likely to continue. In case of the U.S. policy toward North Korea, Trump is expected to resume his “top-down” diplomacy. On the other hand, Democratic Party Platform of this year contains following features: revitalizing American diplomacy, reinventing alliances, recognizing international institutions, utilizing foreign assistance for development, strengthening and transforming armed forces for the 21st century, coordinating global efforts to address transnational challenges such as climate change, new technology, nonproliferation, terrorism, democracy and human rights, and setting strategies for advancing American interests in each region. The South Korean government, regardless of the next U.S. president, should be fully prepared to engage in an in-depth coordination with the new administration’s foreign affairs team about the Korean Peninsula issues within a 90-day period in which major policies of the new administration are reviewed.