South Korea's Moon Jae-in elected as president of a divided country amid heightened tensions with North Korea

South Korea elected its new liberal leader Moon Jae-in on Wednesday at a time when tensions between the nation and North Korea are at its highest, and there are chances of a rift with the United States.

Moon will take the oath of office as president today, May 10, and is tasked to navigate the country out of its debacles. The new leader also plans to announce key cabinet and presidential staff appointments immediately, in an effort to end a power vacuum left by the former President Park Geun-hye. Park, who was impeached earlier this year, was embroiled in a corruption scandal that left the country bitterly divided. 

Moon to announce key appointments

The National Election Commission confirmed Moon's win shortly after 8 a.m. on Wednesday (2300 GMT Tuesday), officially starting his presidency, Reuters reported. After finishing the inauguration ceremony, the new South Korean leader will hold his first media briefing as president at 2:30 p.m. (0530 GMT) today.

Moon is a former human rights lawyer who entered politics to lead a party just five years ago.

A parliament official said that Moon will also name officials appointed for key positions of prime minister, head of the National Intelligence Service, chief of staff, and chief bodyguard. Reports state that Moon has already decided to appoint provincial governor Lee Nak-yon as prime minister. A spokesperson for Moon, however, said that he was unaware of any such report.

Shortly after his victory, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated the liberal leader on his victory, according to Chinese state media reports.

"I will make a just, united country," Moon told a crowd gathered just before midnight. "I will be a president who also serves all the people who did not support me," he said.

Coaxing North Korea to ease its nuclear programme

As North Korea's nuclear programme strengthens, Moon will now have to find a way to talk to Pyongyang about easing its nuclear and missile threats while working with the United States, which is South Korea's main ally.

While Moon has proposed for greater engagement with the isolated North, Washington wants to increase pressure on North Korea through further sanctions and isolation.

Fissures seem to have appeared in the United States and South Korea relationship, with US President Donald Trump demanding compensation for the set-up of the advanced anti-missile THAAD system in South Korea.