South Korea presidential candidate Lee says to restore hotline with North Korea

Seoul, South Korea - South Korea's liberal presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said in a Facebook message on Monday he would pursue the restoration of communication between Seoul and North Korea, including via a military hotline if elected.

Lee, who is the frontrunner in opinion polls for the June 3 election, also said he would "stably manage" relations with China, which he said had reached the "worst state" under the previous administration.

He vowed to develop the U.S.-South Korea relationship into a "comprehensive strategic alliance," and respond in principle to past historical and territorial issues related to Japan while strengthening cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.

(Reporting by Joyce LeeEditing by Ed Davies)