U.S. President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday to engage enemies as well as friends to resolve nuclear threats and to use power prudently to regain U.S. global credibility, tarnished by the war in Iraq, according to Yonhap News.
Obama, the first African-American president, made the remarks at a swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
"With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet," Obama said.
Obama's reference to nuclear threats, without naming North Korea and Iran, suggests that those issues remain a priority even as the United States confronts an economic crisis and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In an apparent effort to draw Obama's attention, North Korea last week threatened to take "an all-out confrontational posture" against South Korea in the face of a hardline policy by President Lee Myung Bak, who has pledged not to engage the North unless Pyongyang abandons its nuclear ambitions.
North Korea's foreign ministry has also said that it will not abandon its nuclear arsenal unless the U.S. normalizes ties and abandons what it considers a hostile North Korea policy.
The latest round of six-party talks faltered last month over North Korea's refusal to agree to a verification regime for its nuclear facilities.
At his inauguration Tuesday, Obama said his administration will not resort to unilateral use of power, apparently referring to the so-called cowboy diplomacy of President George W. Bush.
Obama also emphasized the need to seek closer cooperation with allies and adversaries.
Recalling the spirit of American leaders who "faced down Fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions," Obama said. "They understood that our power alone cannot protect us. Nor does it entitle us to do as we please."
"Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint," he said.
During his campaign, Obama said that he will continue the six-party talks while seeking more direct engagement with North Korea, including a possible one-on-one meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
Obama said the U.S. is "in the midst of crisis," adding, "Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred."
Turning to the economy, the new president called for action to address the worst recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s.
"The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act ― not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth," he said, pledging to rebuild infrastructure, restore science, develop green energy and improve health care.
Obama pledged to establish transparency in the use of public funds, touching on the $700 billion bailout package funneled to troubled financial institutions that triggered the worst financial crisis in decades.
"Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account ― to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day ― because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government," he said.
Obama is expected to prioritize congressional approval of a $825 billion economic stimulus package drafted by his transition team to cope with the deteriorating economic crisis, one of the legacies of the Bush administration.
The amount is on top of the $700 billion bailout package approved by Congress under the Bush administration.
"Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill," he said. "Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control ― and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous."
"The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart ― not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good," Obama said.
After the swearing-in, Obama attended an inaugural luncheon at the Capitol and drove to the White House in a motorcade parade.
In the first few days of his administration, Obama will likely convene an economic meeting to discuss a bailout package, meet with members of the National Security Council on the ongoing wars and other security threats and order the shutdown of the controversial detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which has about 250 suspected terrorists, Yonhap said.