Acting president sends congratulatory message to Trump

Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Friday sent a congratulatory message to US President-elect Donald Trump for his inauguration, highlighting the importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance.

Through the message, Hwang said South Korea wishes to bolster the already close partnership, adding Seoul and Washington have been building a strategic alliance based on shared values for the past 60 years, which contributed to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

Hwang also said the two countries need to cooperate deeply on key agendas including North Korea's development of nukes.

(Yonhap)

The acting president, in addition, sent a message to Trump's predecessor Barack Obama to express gratitude for his contributions to the Seoul-Washington alliance.

Hwang currently serves as the acting president of South Korea, after President Park Geun-hye was impeached in December on corruption charges. (Yonhap)