The election of Moon Jae-in as South Korean president has ended a six-month political rollercoaster hallmarked by the impeachment and eventual arrest of former President Park Geun-hye. But Moon's accession to the Blue House will complicate Japan's efforts to establish a positive and forward-looking trajectory in its relations with Seoul.
Moon, who was trained as human rights lawyer, has been critical in the past of Japan's approach to South Korea -- especially under the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Moon railed against a landmark 2015 deal on World War II "comfort women" agreed by Abe and the Park government, and appears to have no objection to the erection of a statue representing a comfort woman in front of Japan's consulate in Busan late last year -- a move that stymied a gradual improvement of ties between Japan and South Korea.
