2017年CRI Domestic and international issues await South Korean new president

The winner of South Korea's presidential election is also being tasked with healing a nation that's split deeply between the left and right.

Moon Jae-in (R) of South Korea's Minjoo Party and his wife cast their votes at a polling station in Seoul May 9, 2017. South Korean on Tuesday held the 19th presidential election. [Photo: Xinhua]

CRI's Min Rui has more on the domestic and external issues the new South Korean government will be facing.

Unlike many other countries, South Korea's Presidential election system is based who receives the most votes through one round of voting, meaning no run-off.

And unlike previous elections, the leadership transition is virtually immediate 1, with the new President due to be inaugurated immediately after the election commission confirms the results.

He's then going to appoint a prime minister, who will need parliamentary approval, as well as his main cabinet positions.

Piao Jianyi, senior research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences says the next South Korean President is likely to face political challenges almost immediately.

"No matter who takes office, the new president and his party will not be able to secure an overwhelming majority of seats in the parliament. So with a contentious 2 Parliament which consists more seats taken by opposition 3 party, I think the new president will face a lot of difficulties when pushing through new approaches."

Political watchers are also going to closely follow any decisions on the deployment 4 of the American missile defense 5 battery, known as THAAD, as it was a major issue during the campaign.

Piao Jianyi says he expects THAAD will be one of the main areas of concern for the new President.

"When it comes to international issues for the new government, I think THAAD should be ranking top or second on the list. And there is also a growing threat posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons. These two issues are connected. But it's all depending on who will take office."

There are diverse stances within South Korean politics about THAAD and its underlying 6 deployment: Namely North Korea.

Some are open to talks with North Korea; some support the deployment of the anti-missile system on South Korean soil; and there are others want to take a more proactive, potentially dangerous stance against North Korea.

Piao Jianyi says whatever approach is taken, it's likely to be a departure from the previous administration.

"Different presidents could lead to different solutions, could end in opposite poles in extreme. The positive solution could be the new president wants to open talks with North Korea and mend relationships. But the negative could be acting 7 against the North Korea. There is also possibility that the new president standing 8 in the middle. But no matter what happens, there is one thing for sure, that the former president Park Geun-hye's foreign policy won't last."

Beyond security, domestic concerns are also running high in South Korea, including a slowdown in economic growth, rising household debt and soaring unemployment rates among the country's youth.