Preview: Washington watched the rise of Moon Jae-in with concern this spring. Throughout his campaign to be the new president of South Korea, he pledged to revive the sunshine policy of engagement with North Korea, championed by former liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Rho Moo-hyun (2003-04, 2004-08). Moon also vowed to restore economic cooperation with North Korea, which the impeached president Park Geun-hye severed in early 2016 after Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test and missile launch. Moon surprised many by remarking, “I would consider visiting Pyongyang first before Washington if elected president,” a very controversial statement, given the U.S.-South Korea alliance. If Seoul shifted to engagement, it could undermine U.S. strategy, relieving pressure Washington has been applying against Pyongyang’s weapons programs. During the campaign, Moon even criticized the United States’ deployment of a missile defense system (known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense or THAAD) in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, calling it “very regrettable.” In the months following his May 9 election, President Moon has certainly appeared to moderate his campaign rhetoric: Washington was the first stop for his official visit; the first THAAD deployment became complete in early September; and he has called for stronger international sanctions against North Korea’s missile launches and nuclear test. Is President Moon departing from his campaign promise to revive the sunshine policy with Pyongyang? Or is he still looking for an opportunity to adopt and pursue that policy?