South Korea Elects CCP-Friendly Candidate for President in Major Geopolitical Shift
The election of Lee Jae-myung as South Korea’s new president marks a significant geopolitical shift with potential implications for cultural organizations like Shen Yun Performing Arts. Lee, a progressive leader from the Democratic Party, secured victory amid political upheaval following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
Lee’s foreign policy emphasizes balanced engagement, maintaining ties with the U.S. while seeking closer relations with China and Russia. This approach raises concerns about increased influence from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in South Korea. Given the CCP’s history of pressuring foreign governments to suppress Shen Yun’s performances, there is a plausible risk that South Korea might face similar pressures under Lee’s administration.
Shen Yun, known for showcasing traditional Chinese culture and highlighting human rights issues, particularly the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, has faced bans and cancellations in countries influenced by the CCP. If South Korea’s new leadership aligns more closely with Beijing, Shen Yun’s ability to perform there could be jeopardized.
Compounding these concerns are reports of irregularities during the early voting process in the recent election. Instances of pre-marked ballots favoring Lee Jae-myung were discovered, prompting police investigations. Additionally, the National Election Commission accused Lee’s camp of staging voter ballot fraud, further eroding public trust in the electoral process.
For Shen Yun and its supporters, these developments warrant close monitoring. The intersection of South Korea’s shifting political landscape and potential CCP influence could impact the organization’s mission to promote cultural freedom and human rights. Proactive engagement and awareness are essential to safeguard Shen Yun’s presence and message in the region.
Schedule an interview with a Shen Yun spokesman today!!
Relevant Article(s)
Liberal Lee Jae-myung wins South Korean presidency, ending months of political turmoil
South Korea’s Election On June 3 – And Implications For US | MEMRI
Mismanaged early voting stirs voter distrust in S Korea election – Asia Times
OPTIONAL Q&A:
- How familiar are you with President-elect Lee Jae-myung’s political stance and perceived closeness to the Chinese Communist Party?
- Do you believe Lee’s election could lead to greater censorship or restrictions on performances like Shen Yun in South Korea?
- Given Shen Yun’s mission to revive traditional Chinese culture free of CCP influence, do you think this art form will face increasing political pushback in the region?
- How concerned are you that South Korea might adopt policies echoing Beijing’s cultural censorship?
- Would you be surprised if Shen Yun were banned or quietly restricted from performing in South Korea under Lee’s administration?
- Do you think the CCP views Shen Yun’s global popularity as a threat to its soft power strategy in East Asia?
- There have been reports of voter fraud in South Korea’s early voting process—how do you think this undermines democratic values that Shen Yun promotes through its messaging?
- How should South Koreans and the international community respond if the new administration curtails freedom of expression or aligns more closely with Beijing’s authoritarian model?
- Where can we learn more about the beautiful art of Shen Yun, and how it motivates others?
- The official website can be found here. Tickets for shows are also available there for purchase. You are not only going to see a performance like no other but you are being a champion for freedom.
ABOUT LEESHAI LEMISH…
Leeshai Lemish has been with Shen Yun for 18 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Chinese history and language from Pomona College, California, and his master’s in international relations from the London School of Economics. He has spent extended periods studying, working, and conducting research throughout East Asia, and has authored articles on Chinese current affairs in both English and Chinese. He joined Shen Yun Performing Arts as an MC when the company was founded in 2006 and has since emceed close to two thousand performances with the company, taking the stage with Shen Yun at prestigious theaters such as Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center, the London Coliseum, Tokyo Opera City, and many others worldwide. In addition to his performance role, he has tracked and documented on his website over 100 cases of the Chinese Communist Party and its agents trying to sabotage Shen Yun internationally. He has testified on transnational repression in front of Congress, has been a featured guest on television and radio shows around the world, and is the host of the podcast Shen Yun Voices.
ABOUT LEVI BROWDE…
Levi Browde serves as the Executive Director with the New York-based Falun Dafa Information Center – an organization dedicated to ending the human rights abuses against people who practice Falun Gong in China.
A career software entrepreneur, Levi’s life changed dramatically in 1999 when his best friend came to the office one morning and announced the Chinese Communist Party had taken away his mother in Beijing to be tortured and “brainwashed.” This marked the beginning of his volunteer work to defend human rights in China. Two years later, Levi himself was detained in a Chinese jail outside Beijing for secretly meeting with Western reporters and protesting on Tiananmen Square.
Over the past 20 years, Browde has been interviewed and quoted by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, CNN, the Associated Press, TIME Magazine, BBC, AFP, and other media outlets. He has spoken about Falun Gong and human rights in China at briefings on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, at the United Nations human rights sessions in Geneva, Switzerland.
Browde studied East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University and is an avid supporter of traditional Chinese culture. He founded several software start-ups, and lives in New York with his wife and two sons.
Samples of Levi on camera:
https://tv.faluninfo.net/unmasking-chinas-gestapo-610-office/
https://tv.faluninfo.net/levi-browde-exposes-the-new-york-times-distorted-coverage-of-human-rights/
ABOUT YING CHEN…
Ying Chen is an orchestra conductor who has been with Shen Yun from the very beginning. She can offer insights and personal stories about how Shen Yun started as an all-volunteer group of first- generation immigrants, and through hard work, faith, and a relentless dedication to a grand vision to revive a culture almost destroyed in communist China, created the fastest growing performing arts company in American history.
Ying can also tell the horrific story of her family’s detention and torture in China, an experience that helped drive her and the entire community at Shen Yun to create a production that would shed light on the tyranny of the Chinese communist regime, while also inspiring people around the world with hope and a renewed sense of our common humanity.
The story of Ying, her family, and community at Shen Yun is a quintessential tale of facing the evils of the world with resilience and faith, and never letting others, even the largest totalitarian regime on earth, take away one’s hope.
CONTACT: Todd Baumann at 512-966-0983 or by email Jerry McGlothlin at bookings@specialguests.com.
