On-point: N. Korea's state media reports on Lee's presidential win for 1st time

North Korea's state media on Thursday reported on the result of South Korea's presidential election for the first time, noting that Lee Jae-myung was elected South Korea's new president.

The North kept the report brief and short.

Let's discuss more with Dr. Bruce Bennett.

Welcome back.

1. The Korean Central News Agency briefly said Lee, a candidate from the Democratic Party, was elected as South Korea's president.

Why no big reaction from the North?

2. President Lee Jae-myung pledged to push for peace and dialogue, saying peace is cheaper than war.

He specifically said he'll make sure to discover ways to co-exist with North Korea without war.

What does this mean? Seoul will reach out to Pyongyang first?

3. How do you think the Lee government will reach out to the North?

That may not be an easy project, considering inter-Korean relations have been frosty in recent months and under the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

How do you think Lee will bring the North back to dialogue?

4. The Trump administration is preoccupied with its own matters, from tariffs to the Ukraine war.

But Trump will one day or has already reached out to North Korea.

How can the Lee government make sure Seoul is not left out?

5. North Korea's nuclear and missile ambitions are only growing, now with the regime's troop deployment to the Ukraine crisis.

How can the Lee and Trump administrations put their heads together against Pyongyang's ever-growing military threats?

U.S. troop withdrawal from South Korea can absolutely not be an option.

Thanks so much connecting with us this morning.

We appreciate it.