Quotes from Moon Jae-in

I was thinking I wanted to finish my life there in Hungnam doing pro bono service.

Kim Jong-un is not a rational person.

When I drink a little, I sometimes recall my old days. Then I ask myself, 'What does Roh Moo-hyun mean in my life?' He really defined my life. My life would have changed a lot if I didn't meet him. So he is my destiny.

We must embrace the North Korean people as part of the Korean nation, and to do that, whether we like it or not, we must recognize Kim Jong-un as their ruler and as our dialogue partner.

South Korea was able to build its national security thanks to the U.S., and the two nations will work together on the North Korean nuclear issue. However, I believe we need to be able to take the lead on matters in the Korean Peninsula as the country directly involved.

My best quality is that I am persistent. My worst is that I am no fun.

There will be no war repeated on the Korean Peninsula.

When peaceful reunification comes, the first thing I want to do is to take my 90-year-old mother and go to her home town.

Creating a structure for mutual prosperity requires lowering regional and transnational barriers to facilitate the flow of goods and promote people-to-people interactions.

I could sit down with Kim Jong-un, but I will not meet him for the sake of meeting him. I will meet Kim Jong-un when preconditions of resolving the nuclear issue are assured.

We can't afford to lose all that we've built from the ashes of the Korean War.

The president who achieved a true democracy. The president who built a peaceful relationship between the North and the South. The president who achieved a more equal and fair economy. That's how I want to be remembered.

I will be president for all South Koreans.

No one shall take a military action on the Korean Peninsula without South Korean consent.

South Korea and the U.S. share common interests with regard to the North Korean nuclear issue, so I promise that South Korea will fully consult with the U.S. on the deployment of THAAD.

The North and South were one people sharing one language and one culture for about 5,000 years. Ultimately, we should reunite.

I believe that dialogue is necessary. We were unable to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through only the sanctions and pressure.

The alliance with the United States is and will always be the foundation of our diplomacy and national security.

I will engage in sincere negotiations with the United States and China to find a solution to the THAAD problem.

My father fled from the North, hating communism.

I believe President Trump is more reasonable than he is generally perceived. President Trump uses strong rhetoric toward North Korea, but during the election campaign, he also said he could talk over a burger with Kim Jong-un. I am for that kind of pragmatic approach to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.

For Korea, ASEAN has undoubtedly been a special and valued friend.

I will strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance.