Rep. Lee Jun-seok, the presidential contender from the minor opposition New Reform Party, speaks during a press conference held at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club in central Seoul, Monday. (Yonhap)
Rep. Lee Jun-seok, the presidential contender from the minor opposition New Reform Party, speaks during a press conference held at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club in central Seoul, Monday. (Yonhap)

Rep. Lee Jun-seok, a presidential contender from the minor opposition New Reform Party, on Monday vowed to bolster international cooperation to strengthen the country's technological edge.

The Harvard graduate said he would drive South Korea to "emerge as a global leader" in digital innovation and artificial intelligence, citing his academic background in engineering.

"In particular, I will focus on fostering advanced technologies and nurturing talent," so that South Korea can lead global competition in the two fields, Lee said at a press conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club in central Seoul.

He also expressed openness to working with Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a presidential contender from the ruling People Power Party, citing their shared focus on technological innovation.

However, Lee firmly ruled out joining any broad political coalitions — often referred to as "big-tent" alliances — criticizing them as "political engineering" typically seen in Yeouido, the center of South Korea’s political scene.

As part of his diplomatic vision, Lee highlighted the importance of the South Korea-US alliance and called for strengthening the trilateral partnership with Japan, describing both as pillars of regional security and economic prosperity.

However, he cautioned that growing US protectionism — particularly under President Donald Trump’s second administration — along with strengthening European alliances demand closer attention, underscoring the need for more strategic communication and coordination in East Asia.

As a concrete proposal, Lee suggested expanding Korea-Japan cooperation into the aerospace sector. "Given our geographical proximity, Korea and Japan can maximize synergies by jointly developing aerospace technologies and sharing infrastructure," he said.

Lee further pledged to advance South Korea’s defense industry, emphasizing that the development and export of sophisticated weapons systems would contribute to global peace and stability.


flylikekite@heraldcorp.com