A New U.S. President Leaves South Korea Cautiously Optimistic

South Korea is seeking to quickly establish a dialogue with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden in an effort to strengthen its position in U.S. priorities and influence U.S. policies toward the Korean Peninsula. A day after personally congratulating Biden and U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Twitter, South Korean President Moon Jae-in stated Nov. 9 that he would establish joint communications with the incoming administration to avoid any “vacuum” in bilateral relations. Moon’s actions reflect both optimism and concern with the impact of a changing U.S. administration on Seoul’s own priorities. ...