With the fate of suspended South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol hanging in the balance, the country has also been left facing an uncertain future as it battles through the resulting political turmoil.
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Analysts say that the power transitions, both in Seoul and Washington, could significantly alter the dynamics between East Asian neighbours South Korea, Japan and China.
Impeached South Korean leader Yoon was arrested on Wednesday over the short-lived martial law that he imposed during a televised address on December 3.
The country is still dealing with the political fallout of that act. While it could be months before a final court decision is handed down, South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who has maintained friendly relations with both China and North Korea, looks most likely to take over should Yoon be removed from office.
In the United States, meanwhile, all eyes are on Donald Trump as he returns to the White House, to see what he will do in the Indo-Pacific region. It is still uncertain whether Trump, who is known for his transactional and isolationist bent, will follow the policies of his predecessor Joe Biden with regard to the Indo-Pacific and multilateral partnerships in the region.
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With so much still up in the air, observers said that Seoul could move closer to Beijing and further from Tokyo, even putting the trilateral Japan-South Korea-US partnership in jeopardy.