South Korean election opens door to talks with North Korea

South Korea’s conservative and centrist presidential candidates conceded defeat today after election exit polls showed them trailing liberal frontrunner Moon Jae-in. Official vote tallies will not be ready until Wednesday morning. But Moon claimed victory in a speech to raucous supporters today, promising to push through reforms that formed the backbone of his campaign. At the top of his list is rapprochement with North Korea, a drastic change from the policy of the last decade. Moon wants to hold direct talks with Kim Jong Un and said sanctions should be balanced with efforts to engage the North. As part of his softer stance toward North Korea, Moon also wants his country to rethink its willingness to host the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system provided by the United States. China strongly opposes the system, and angering a close neighbor and the North’s strongest ally does nothing to promote regional peace, Moon has said. China is South Korea’s largest trade partner.