Lee Jae-myung took office as South Korea’s new president with a vow to heal wounds and restore democracy. His inauguration follows the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, which created deep political rifts. Around 300 people attended the ceremony at the National Assembly. Importantly, Lee emphasized national unity and promised to overcome political divisions. He declared, “I will end the politics of division and restore democracy.” Moreover, Lee wore a tie combining red and blue, symbolizing political unity. He promised to be a president for everyone, not just his party. Furthermore, he described his government as just, pragmatic, and flexible. Lee pledged to leave outdated ideologies behind. Repeatedly, he stated his mission to heal wounds and restore democracy through cooperation.
Meanwhile, economic revival stands as Lee’s top priority. To begin with, he launched an emergency task force to tackle recession. Recent data showed declining demand and weak industrial output. Therefore, the Bank of Korea cut interest rates to 2.5 percent. Additionally, analysts expect more cuts to follow. In response, the administration proposed a 30 trillion won stimulus budget. This, in turn, aims to support small businesses and social programs. Notably, experts believe this could raise growth by 0.5 percentage points. Infrastructure and urban renewal projects will also help create jobs quickly. Ultimately, Lee links all these moves to his plan to heal wounds and restore democracy.
On foreign policy, Lee supports pragmatic diplomacy. Consequently, he plans to maintain strong ties with the U.S. and Japan. At the same time, he seeks peaceful engagement with North Korea. According to Lee, South Korea must turn global changes into new opportunities. He promises to protect national interest while promoting peace. Likewise, Lee supports market-friendly policies to drive growth. Therefore, he plans to remove outdated regulations. Instead, he prefers a system that prohibits only clearly listed actions. As a result, this would allow innovation and active business development. Lee wants to make South Korea a creative and business-friendly nation.
In addition, Lee strongly condemned Yoon’s martial law declaration. He called it an act that stole power from the people. Hence, he promised a full investigation and future safeguards. Lee said such abuse of power must never happen again. Significantly, restoring democracy remains a core part of his presidency. His term began at 6:21 a.m. after the election commission confirmed his win. In fact, Lee won with over 17 million votes, the highest in South Korea’s democratic history. Without a transition period, he assumed command immediately. Subsequently, he spoke with the military and ordered full readiness. He also thanked troops for resisting unlawful orders.
Soon after, Lee began his first day by honoring the fallen at the Seoul National Cemetery. He promised to create a happy country ruled by the people. Then, he resigned from parliament and met with political leaders. Later, he entered the Yongsan office and appointed key officials. Lee’s win followed six months of public frustration and protest. Finally, he told supporters they had reclaimed power with their vote. From his first day in office, he promised to heal wounds and restore democracy. Moving forward, Lee now faces major tests at home and abroad. Undoubtedly, his choices will shape the country’s future for years.
