South Korea’s new President Moon Jae-In speaks during a press conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on May 10, 2017.
Moon was sworn in just a day after a landslide election victory, and immediately declared his willingness to visit Pyongyang amid high tensions with the nuclear-armed North. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / JUNG YEON-JE
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday invited South Korea’s new president to the White House, as the long-time allies try to forge a common strategy to tackle North Korea.
“President Trump said he looks forward to working with President Moon (Jae-In) and invited him to visit Washington at an early date,” the White House said in a statement.
Trump and Moon appear at odds over how to deal with Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programs, with the US president favoring economic sanctions and military force if necessary.
Moon won election on a platform of tackling corruption, but he also promised to improve ties with the North through talks and the reopening of an joint industrial project.
