President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, has been sworn in as 19th President of the country. Mr. Moon took the oath of office, a day after his liberal Democratic Party’s decisive victory in a snap election called to find a replacement for Park Geun-hye, who was ousted in March over a corruption scandal.

Soon after the swearing in ceremony, Mr. Moon, in a departure from current policy, said he would be willing to visit North Korea in the right circumstances. South Korean President said he is ready to negotiate with China and the United States over a controversial anti-missile defense system.

Moon won about 40 percent of yesterday’s vote, defeating his rivals — Hong Joon-pyo of the conservative Liberty Korea Party and Ahn Cheol-soo of the centrist People’s Party.

New South Korean President, Moon Jae-in has named his nominees for Prime Minister and the country’s spy chief. Announcing his first cabinet and presidential staff appointments,

Mr. Moon appointed South Jeolla Province Governor, Lee Nak-yon as the Prime Minister. Mr. Moon also nominated Suh Hoon, a longtime intelligence official with expertise in North Korea issues, as his new chief of the National Intelligence Service.

Presidential office said other appointments included Im Jong-seok, chief of staff for Moon’s campaign, as chief of staff, and a former Blue House security official to head presidential security.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he hopes to cooperate with South Korea’s new president in dealing with North Korea.

Abe was speaking at a meeting of government and ruling party officials on Wednesday. He said South Korea is Japan’s most important neighbor, and that they share strategic interests. Abe said he aims to develop future-oriented relations with Seoul.

He said Japan will continue to work closely with the US, South Korea, China and Russia to strongly urge Pyongyang to refrain from nuclear testing and ballistic missile launches.

He added that Japan remains on high alert for further provocations from North Korea.
Meanwhile Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has congratulated South Korean President Moon Jae-in and expressed the hope of building a new, future-oriented era with South Korea.