THE TILED roof of the Cheong Wa Dae complex in central Seoul gives the building its colloquial(口语的，俗称的) name: the Blue House. Generations of political leaders in South Korea called it home until Yoon Suk Yeol, then the president, decided to move out in 2022, giving a hint of the turbulence(动荡，骚乱) to come under his rule. Following Mr Yoon’s declaration of martial law(宣布戒严令) in 2024 and his subsequent impeachment last year, South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, moved back in, signalling a restoration of normality. In an interview with The Economist in one of the Blue House’s opulent reception halls, Mr Lee projects calm. His country can “move beyond this normalisation of the abnormal(反常现象的常态化)” he declares, plausibly. He is less convincing in suggesting it could “develop into a nation that leads the world”.
首尔市中心青瓦台建筑群的瓦片屋顶赋予了这座建筑一个俗称：蓝宫（青瓦台）。一代又一代韩国政治领袖曾以此为家，直到时任总统尹锡悦于2022年决定迁出，这预示了他统治下即将到来的动荡。随着尹锡悦2024年宣布戒严及去年随后被弹劾，韩国新任总统李在明搬了回来，标志着恢复常态。在青瓦台金碧辉煌的接待厅之一接受《经济学人》采访时，李在明表现出镇定。他宣称，他的国家可以“超越这种对反常现象的常态化”，这听起来似乎合理。但他暗示该国可以“发展成一个引领世界的国家”，则不那么令人信服。
Mr Lee has reason to be confident. A year after taking office, his approval rating(支持率) remains around 60%, among the highest for a South Korean president at this stage. Voters give him credit for the political stability. He is fortunate for being in office during a scorching(炽热的，猛烈的) stock market rally. Mr Lee has also managed to deftly(巧妙地，灵巧地) steer South Korea’s relations with notable powers, including America, China and Japan. Yet, as Mr Lee looks ahead to(展望，面向未来) the rest of his five-year term, challenges loom(逼近，隐约出现).
李在明有理由自信。上任一年后，他的支持率保持在60%左右，是韩国总统同期最高之一。选民称赞他带来了政治稳定。他很幸运，任期恰逢股市强劲上涨。李在明还巧妙地处理了韩国与美国、中国、日本等大国的关系。然而，展望五年任期的剩余部分，挑战迫在眉睫。
After Mr Yoon’s declaration of martial law in late 2024, the country cycled through(接连经过（几个阶段/人）) three acting presidents. Mr Lee, as opposition leader, galvanised(激励，促使行动) resistance to the move. In office his lively social-media presence and habit of live-streaming cabinet meetings appeal to voters. It has not hurt that the conservative opposition People Power Party (PPP) remains in thrall to(受制于，被奴役) the disgraced(蒙羞的，失势的) ex-president. In local elections on June 3rd, candidates from Mr Lee’s Democratic Party (DP) took 12 of 16 big mayoral and gubernatorial jobs (though the conservative incumbent in Seoul held on).
自尹锡悦2024年底宣布戒严以来，韩国先后经历了三位代理总统。作为在野党领袖，李在明动员了对此举的抵抗。上任后，他活跃的社交媒体形象和直播内阁会议的习惯吸引了选民。保守派在野党国民力量党仍受制于这位名誉扫地的前总统，这也不无裨益。在6月3日的地方选举中，李在明所属的共同民主党候选人拿下了16个主要市长和省长职位中的12个（尽管首尔市的保守派现任者保住了位置）。
Dealing with the Donald
与唐纳德打交道