NEW ERA

New South Korean Leader Hints at Visit to Pyongyang

In bid to “resolve the security crisis as soon as possible.”

South Korea’s newly elected president has hinted at a possible trip to North Korea. President Moon Jae-in, sworn in Wednesday after winning a snap election to replace ousted President Park Geun-hye, didn’t offer any specifics on the plan. But he said during a formal oath-of-office ceremony that he’d be willing to visit Pyongyang if the conditions were right. “For peace on the Korean Peninsula, I will do everything that I can do,” he said. He also vowed to “resolve the security crisis as soon as possible.” Moon has gone against his predecessors when it comes to North Korea, calling for dialogue with leader Kim Jong Un rather than harsh sanctions. His swearing-in ceremony comes amid heightened tensions over Pyongyang’s numerous missile tests in recent months, with the U.S. appealing to China for help in reining in Kim. Moon has promised to involve China in talks to settle the conflict, saying he would negotiate with Beijing and Washington over the THAAD missile-defense system deployed in the South. The missile system has angered both North Korea and China, which says it poses a threat to national security and further destabilizes the region.