Lee Jae-myung officially took office on Wednesday after the National Election Commission confirmed his victory.
He won 49.42% of nearly 35 million votes, while conservative rival Kim Moon-soo earned 41.15%. This election saw the highest turnout since 1997.
In a victory speech outside parliament, Lee called the vote “judgment day” against former President Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law and the People Power Party's failure to stop the move. “The first mission is to decisively overcome insurrection and to ensure there will never be another military coup with guns and swords turned against the people,” he said.
Lee immediately assumed the powers of presidency and commander in chief, with an abbreviated inauguration scheduled at parliament at 11 a.m. local time.
He has pledged to tackle urgent economic issues from day one, focusing on cost-of-living relief for middle and low-income families and support for small business owners. Lee also faces a White House deadline to negotiate import duties blamed for a trade imbalance between the two countries.
With a high-stakes agenda and widespread public engagement, all eyes are on how South Korea's new leader will navigate the twin challenges of political stability and economic revival.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
