Moon to show Kim bright side
S. Korean presidential frontrunner may soften stance towards the North
The liberal politician expected to succeed Park Geun-hye as South Korea’s next President could significantly soften Seoul’s stance towards North Korea and possibly delay deployment of a US missile-defence system that has enraged China.
A Constitutional Court on Friday dismissed Ms Park from office after upholding her impeachment over a corruption scandal involving “chaebol”, the family-run conglomerates that dominate South Korea, and which could also face reform under a liberal leader.
A presidential election will be held by May 9 and opinion polls suggest South Koreans will opt for change by electing a liberal into the presidential Blue House, ending nine years of conservative rule.
The front-runner is Moon Jae-in, a human rights lawyer who was a top aide to former President Roh Moo-hyun, an advocate of a “sunshine policy” of engagement with North Korea.
Mr Moon has criticised the two former conservative Presidents — Park and Lee Myung-bak — for derailing the progress in inter-Korean relations during the previous liberal administrations.
He calls for a “two-step” approach on North Korea, with talks leading first to “economic unification” and ultimately “political and military unification”.
Mr Moon on Sunday stressed the need to “embrace and be united with” the North Korean people, while adding that he could never accept its “dictatorial regime”, or its trampling of rights.
He denounced the North’s “cruel and ruthless behavior” in the wake of the murder in Malaysia last month of Kim Jongnam, the estranged halfbrother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
But he told a news conference there was no choice but to recognise Kim Jong-un as leader.
“We can’t deny that the ruler of the North Korean people is Kim Jong-un. We have no choice but to recognise Kim Jong-Un as a counterpart, whether we put pressure and impose sanctions on North Korea or hold dialogue,” he said.
A conciliatory line might face opposition from the US where Mr Trump’s aides are pressing to complete a strategy review on how to counter North’s missile and nuclear threats.