Park Geun-hye used her inauguration as president of South Korea earlier today to urge North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and abide by international norms, saying that this is the only way to accomplish her goal of building trust on the Korean Peninsula.
“Trust can be built up by dialogue and by keeping our promises,” she declared. “I hope that North Korea can abide by international rules and make the right choices, so that the ‘Korean Peninsula trust process’ can move forward.”
Commenting on Pyongyang’s decision to stage a third nuclear test just days ago, Park added, “We will not accept any action that threatens the lives of the people and the security of the Republic of Korea. The recent nuclear test presents a challenge to the survival of our people and their future, and [North Korea] must clearly acknowledge that the biggest loser in this is none other than North Korea itself.”
“I hope that North Korea will put down its nuclear weapons and travel the road of peace and mutual development,” she went on, noting also, “Through the Korean Peninsula trust process I aim to lay the foundations for a happy era of unification where everyone can live an affluent and free life, able to achieve their dreams. I will work to build inter-Korean trust against a backdrop of firm deterrence.”
More than 70,000 people packed the island of Yeouido in central Seoul for this morning’s inauguration ceremony.
