SEOUL, South Korea June 04 — President Lee Jae-myung pledged to prioritize national unity and move beyond divisive politics as he was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, signaling a sharp departure from recent administrations. In his inaugural address before the National Assembly, Lee emphasized his role as a “president for all,” vowing to serve every citizen regardless of political allegiance.
“It is time to build bridges of coexistence, reconciliation, and solidarity over the hatred and confrontation that have divided us,” Lee declared. “Now is the moment to open wide an era of happiness for the people, filled with dreams and hope.” His inauguration followed a decisive electoral victory, securing 49.42% of the vote against conservative People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo’s 41.15%, marking a return to power for the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).
Lee stressed the urgent need to transcend ideological polarization, referencing the national discord after former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial martial law declaration. “Unity is a mark of competence, while division is a result of incompetence,” he stated, committing to restore communication, dialogue, and a politics of concession and compromise.
Outlining his administration’s vision, Lee vowed to run a pragmatic, flexible government rooted in market principles but open to ideas across the political spectrum. “Whether it’s Park Chung-hee’s policies or Kim Dae-jung’s — if they are necessary and useful, we will adopt them without distinction,” he said. He pledged significant regulatory reforms to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, promising strong support for high-tech industries like AI and semiconductors, alongside a transition to renewable energy to address climate change. “Innovation and new growth are only possible in a country where every citizen’s basic living conditions are guaranteed and where a strong social safety net allows for bold challenges,” he noted.
On foreign policy, Lee emphasized a shift toward practical, national interest-driven diplomacy to enhance Korea’s global competitiveness and navigate major economic and security shifts. Addressing the martial law controversy under Yoon, he vowed full accountability: “An insurrection that seizes the people’s sovereignty with the very weapons entrusted by the people must never happen again.”
Later in the day, Lee unveiled key appointments: four-term DPK lawmaker Kim Min-seok as Prime Minister, Kang Hoon-sik as Chief of Staff, Lee Jong-seok (former deputy NSC head) as Director of the National Intelligence Service, and Wi Sung-lac (former ambassador to Russia) as Director of the National Security Council. He highlighted “loyalty and competence” as his primary criteria, acknowledging potential tension between expertise and unity but denying selections were based on personal closeness. “It’s not easy to find someone who possesses both loyalty and capability,” he said, adding that economic appointments would be finalized soon after consulting the party, opposition, public, and media. “Rather than letting a few make personnel decisions unilaterally, it’s essential to consult broadly.”
Lee concluded by stressing the immediate priority of passing a supplementary budget to stimulate economic recovery. He pledged a thorough, data-driven policy review involving both senior officials and working-level staff, stating, “I plan to gather not only the heads of all relevant ministries but also working-level staff to assess what recovery policies can be implemented immediately.”
