ROK's president-elect seeks better ties

Park Geun-hye, incoming first female president of the Republic of Korea, lost no time on Thursday in paving the way for improved regional ties.

Following her hard-fought election victory over Moon Jae-in on Wednesday, Park met top envoys from regional powers.

Republic of Korea President-elect Park Geun-hye of the ruling Saenuri Party burns incense during her visit to the National Cemetery in Seoul on Thursday. Park won ROK's presidential election on Wednesday and will become the country's first female top leader, saying she will work to heal a divided society. LEE JIN-MAN / REUTERS

Observers predicted that Northeast Asia's first female president will strike a more balanced approach in Seoul's diplomacy with major players in the Asia-Pacific region, including the United States, China, Russia and Japan, to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Park was in the media spotlight on Thursday, having a tight schedule that saw her visit the National Cemetery and deliver a policy speech at her conservative Saenuri Party's headquarters in Seoul.

She vowed to place top priority on national security, as Pyongyang's successful long-range rocket launch on Dec 12 underlined the "grave" security reality on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported.

Park also said regional tensions stemming from sovereignty and long-standing disputes in Northeast Asia, along with global economic difficulties also weigh heavily on the ROK.