South Korea hoping for 'new era' with North

South Korea’s president urged North Korea today to embrace a “new era” by using its recent leadership handover as an opportunity to transform Korean ties, but warned that Seoul would respond sternly to any provocations.

Lee Myung-bak’s comments in a nationally televised speech come as the young son of Kim Jong Il takes power in North Korea as supreme commander of the military and ruling party leader after Kim’s death last month.