In South Korea, Joe Biden Seeks to Rebuild Economic Ties Across Asia

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

PYEONGTAEK, South Korea — President Biden began his first diplomatic mission in Asia on Friday by touring a Samsung semiconductor facility in South Korea, part of his effort to strengthen the waning economic influence of the United States in the region and to address supply chain problems that have hurt American consumers back home.

Shortly after landing at Osan Air Base, Mr. Biden joined President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea at the Samsung plant, praising it as a model for the type of manufacturing that the United States desperately needs to head off soaring inflation and to compete with China’s growing economic dominance.

“This is an auspicious start to my visit, because it’s emblematic of the future cooperation and innovation that our nations can and must build together,” Mr. Biden said, adding that Samsung will invest $17 billion to build a similar plant in Taylor, Texas.

The decision to begin a five-day trip in Asia with a visit to a semiconductor facility underscored the complexity of a tour meant to strengthen security ties, forge new economic pacts and reassure allies of America’s commitment in the Indo-Pacific after months of prioritizing the war in Ukraine and years of ceding influence to Beijing.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in-south-korea-joe-biden-seeks-to-rebuild-economic-ties-across-asia/ar-AAXwrmC

[soryang]

1. Yoon is regarded as an amateur in foreign policy and national defense

His failure, and the failure of his security team to respond appropriately to the last barrage of North Korean missiles on May 12 proves it. He didn't even convene his NSC. He isn't a "regular Joe in the white house." He doesn't even live or work in South Korea's Blue House. He's working nine to five, at best. So when he goes home he isn't available to act as commander in chief. His commuting routes to and from the MND from his luxury apartment in Seocho, paralyze Seoul traffic twice a day. He's a self centered, arrogant fool, who cares about no one but himself. He has the lowest approval rating of any president entering office since the dictatorship period.

His move into the Ministry of National Defense Building on the Yongsan base, which the defense establishment opposed has disrupted the leadership of South Korea's military command structure, has interfered with national command communications and security, and left it rudderless. He has repudiated his promise to give military service conscripts a raise, and announced that he's cutting the defense budget by 1.5 trillion won among other budget cuts and civil service layoffs. While feigning support for the democracy movement during the 5.18 memorial service, he cut the budgets to the local provinces.

The lights are on but nobody's home. Yoon goes home at five to drink boilermakers and consults his guru, who coincidentally discusses Yoon's policies on youtube, wrapping them in a Rasputin like package. Yoon is a disaster waiting to happen. His authoritarian tendencies are clear. He prosecuted people based on their political orientation, interfered in cases in which he had a personal interest. He's been disciplined for professional ethical violations twice. I wouldn't get my advice on South Korea's presidents from Voice of America.