Moon ready to visit DPRK under right conditions

His presidential power came into force right after election victory was confirmed

SEOUL - President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea said on Wednesday he will visit Pyongyang under right conditions. Moon was sworn in as the country's new president at a main hall of the parliamentary building, just hours after winning a landslide victory in the five-way presidential race.

He assumed power right after his victory was confirmed by the election commission as there was no transition period because of the impeachment of his predecessor, Park Geun-hye.

In a televised inaugural speech, Moon said he will be on the move for peace on the Korean Peninsula, vowing to visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea if conditions are created.

Moon also appointed a new prime minister and several other senior officials.

Lee Nak-yon, governor of South Jeolla province, was named as prime minister.

Lee, 65, is a former journalist who entered politics in 2000 and served as a four-term lawmaker. He worked as spokesman for late liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. He was elected in 2014 as the provincial governor.

The nominee will be subject to the parliamentary hearing, requiring a parliamentary ratification to take office.

Im Jong-seok, 51, was named as presidential chief of staff. He is a two-term lawmaker who served as chief of staff for Moon's campaign team in the presidential race.

A student activist

As a student activist in the 1980s, Im attended a festival in Pyongyang in 1989. For that visit, he was jailed for three and a half years. Under the national security law, it is illegal to visit the DPRK without advance permission from the government.

Suh Hoon, a former vice-director of National Intelligence Service, was appointed as the spy agency's chief.

Suh, 63, managed official and unofficial contacts with the DPRK under the liberal presidents of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun.

Moon said he will eliminate the culture of an authoritative president, pledging to talk with ordinary people and communicate with people at any time.

Reiterating his campaign pledges, Moon said he will open "an era of Gwanghwamun presidency", referring to the square in central Seoul where people rallied against former leader Park.

Xinhua

(China Daily 05/11/2017 page12)