(US election) Main ruling party congratulates Trump on U.S. presidential election win

South Korea’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Wednesday congratulated former U.S. President Donald Trump on his second term, expressing hopes for a strengthened Seoul-Washington alliance to counter North Korea’s provocations.

“We must open a new future based on an even stronger South Korea-U.S. alliance,” said Kwak Gyu-taek, the PPP’s senior spokesman.

He further cited security threats in Northeast Asia due to the growing military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, emphasizing the need for thorough preparedness based on a robust South Korea-U.S. alliance.

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) earlier extended its congratulations to Trump on his election victory, also expressing hopes for a strengthened Seoul-Washington alliance.

“We sincerely congratulate him for the win,” said Cho Seung-rae, senior spokesman for the DP, expressing optimism that Trump’s second term might bring new opportunities for contributing to peace on the Korean Peninsula.

“The DP will work with Trump to ensure that the strong U.S.-South Korea alliance becomes more than just a blood alliance,” he added.

Former President Moon Jae-in also issued a congratulatory message to Trump on his victory, voicing hopes for the resumption of talks between North Korea and the United States.

Moon’s presidency from 2017 to 2022 largely overlapped with Trump’s first term.

“President Trump and I walked a path together for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and complete denuclearization, a path that no one had taken before,” Moon said, referring to a trilateral gathering with Trump at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in 2019.

Moon expressed hope that the stalled North Korea-U.S. talks would resume and that peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia would become even more solidified.

According to U.S. media, Republican candidate Donald Trump won more than 270 Electoral College votes in the U.S. presidential election, becoming the first president in more than a century to win a non-consecutive second term.