The upcoming presidential election in the Republic of Korea, the last of the important elections across the world this year, will not only decide the direction of domestic politics in the next five years, but also have a major impact on inter-Korean relations, China-ROK relations, the US-ROK alliance and Northeast Asian dynamics.

The two-day registration for candidates for the December election ended on Nov 26, kicking off a 22-day campaign. With the withdrawal of independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, the tripartite race has turned into a straight contest between Park Geun-hye of the ruling Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party) and Moon Jae-in of the opposition Democratic United Party.

Apart from domestic issues, such as reviving the ROK economy, inter-Korean relations will play an important role in the election campaign. The way the ROK presidential candidates approach the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is what concerns Pyongyang most.