Waterford — On the same day that South Korea elected a new president, who as a candidate mentioned the possibility of talking to North Korea, officials from the U.S. and South Korea speaking here Tuesday reaffirmed the “strong alliance” between the two countries.

The two officials spoke to reporters at the Waterford office of the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council before appearing Tuesday night on a panel on “The Future of Korea.” The council hosted the panel discussion at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, one of six such events to take place around the country.

Though official results weren’t expected until later on Wednesday, Moon Jae-In, a human rights lawyer, declared victory in the South Korea’s presidential election.

Ronita Macklan, a special assistant to the State Department with expertise in South and Central Asia foreign policy, said the U.S. looks forward to “building a relationship with the new government” in South Korea and working together on threats of mutual concern, including from North Korea, which launched another failed missile test at the end of April.

Jae-In reportedly favors more dialogue with North Korea. He was a senior adviser and chief of staff for former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, who sought closer ties with North Korea.

But that doesn’t guarantee that Jae-In will have the same stance, said Jang Hyun Kim, counselor at the South Korean Embassy in the U.S. “We are not so sure if this new president Moon will take the same step or will he face the new reality and decrease threat from North Korea and continue pressuring North Korea?” Kim said. “Or maybe a mixture of both talk and pressure."

“That, I think you’ll have to see,” Kim surmised.

Kim said some of his American friends are “voicing concern” about Moon, given his ties to Moo-hyun. Moo-hyun was in power during the George W. Bush administration and was viewed by Americans at that time as “too liberal or too pro-North Korea,” Kim said. As for South Koreans' views on America’s new president, many in the country are “puzzled” by President Donald Trump, he said.

“They don’t really know what President Trump wants to do or his style of doing business,” Kim said. “I think it is important to start a dialogue, to get engaged, and get to know each other, and start working together for a better future together.”

As for talks between the U.S. and North Korea, Trump said recently that, “under the right circumstances,” he’d be willing to talk to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Macklan, the State Department official, said there is “some realistic expectation” that the U.S. and North Korea can talk, but “actions need to be taken on the other side by the North Korean regime showing signs of denuclearization.”

j.bergman@theday.com