Why South Korea's Moon Jae-in faces the biggest fight of his presidency

Synopsis

Protests have returned to the streets of Seoul, just three years after the candlelight revolution that led to the downfall of former President Park. Current President Moon Jae-in faces the biggest political fight of his presidency due to backlash over his controversial pick for justice minister, whose family is involved in a corruption scandal. South Korea's export-dependent economy struggles with challenges from the global economic slowdown and a downturn in the computer chip sector. The US-China trade war and tensions with Tokyo add to the pressure, leading the Bank of Korea to cut interest rates to record lows. Moon's policy of engaging with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un encounters setbacks as North Korea resumes weapons tests, complicating denuclearization talks. With Moon's approval ratings at record lows and parliamentary elections approaching in April 2020, concerns grow that he may become a lame duck president, jeopardizing his engagement efforts with North Korea.