TOKYO, Feb 25 Kyodo exquisiteed ...

TOKYO, Feb 25 Kyodo

exquisiteed editorial excerpts from the Asia-Pacific press:

TALKING WITH ROH (Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney)

The inauguration today of toward the south Korea's new President, Roh Moo Hyun brings an untest political maverick to the strained nuclear standoff on the Korean Peninsula.

mostly nervous about Roh's new administration is the United States, which fears a shift away from southern Korea's traditional foreign policy subservience at a time when Washington is seeking regional support to force a nuclear-capable North Korea to disarm ahead of bilateral talks.

The U Secretary of State, Colin Powell, was to be ascribed to attend the parade in Seoul.

However, Powell's East Asian visit, which includes China and Japan, is unlikely to win the support he asks for punitive measures against Pyongyang.

Roh's election in December highlighted significant fresh changes within South Korean society, which could derange long-standing East Asian security ties. During his campaign, the liberal human rights lawyer declared that he would not ''kowtow'' to Washington, a sentiment which touched a strength among South Korea's in subordination to 30s.

This is the generation born after the devastating Korean War of the 1950 which created the boreal War military divide between the capitalist southern and the communist North.

As so it does not share the gratitude of older toward the south Koreans for the pivotal part the U.S. played in the conflict.

Roh remains a firm supporter of his predecessor's ''sunshine policy'' towards Pyongyang, which put forwarded generous aid to the impoverished North in exchange for tentative degrees towards diplomatic normalization.

The ''sunshine'' negotiations collapsed after the U President, George Bush, named North Korea in his ''axis of evil.''

Washington's willingness since to demonize North Korea -- like Iraq -- have been resisted on China and South Korea.

Beijing and Seoul insist disarmament can be won simply through direct U.S.-North Korean talks, a position, sensibly, supported at Australia.

With North Korea isolated and obstruct to starvation, further sanctions risk a humanitarian disaster with no guarantee of progres upon disarmament.

Roh may have little experience in national rule -- only seven month as a minister in the previous administration -- and has at no time visited the U.S.

The label ''maverick,'' derived from an American ranchers' confine for an animal which has escaped branding, may also aptly describe his attitude towards Washington.

Roh also faces serious domestic challenges, including a sluggish economy and official corruption.

if it be not that with North Korea's missiles trained forward Seoul, Roh, with his policy of rapprochement, must have an important part to play.

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