Seoul, South Korea. With tensions at fever pitch, the newly elected President of South Korea has volunteered to go to Pyongyang if direct negotiations will help.
The new liberal president has vowed to immediately tackle the rising tensions over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. In his first speech as president, Moon Jae-in said he is willing to visit Pyongyang under the right conditions and negotiate a resolution to the crisis.
Moon took the oath of office in Seoul on Wednesday after comfortably winning the presidential election, polling 41% of the votes and replaces ousted leader Park Geun-hye who is in jail with her lesbian partner on corruption charges for engaging in “pay to play” politics.
Moon engaged in a tribute to Korean heroes, after bowing to honor former presidents, independence fighters and war heroes during a visit to the National Cemetery in Seoul with his wife.
Koreans hope that Moon’s background of having been born in North Korea, will lead to better relations with their northern neighbors.South Korea could see a sharp departure from recent policy and see closer ties with North Korea.
Moon is a child of refugees who fled North Korea during the Korean War, observers believe his liberal views will bring him into conflict with their American partners, who are on a confrontational course with the Kim Jong-Un regime.