On June 4, President Lee Jae-myung was officially inaugurated as the 21st President of the Republic of Korea, declaring his commitment to serve as “a president for all people.”
During his inaugural address at the Rotunda Hall of the National Assembly, President Lee said, “With the 52 million hopes and aspirations entrusted to me by 52 million citizens, I take the first step toward building a true democratic republic of Korea.”
Referring to the extraordinary circumstances under which the election was held, amid a military-led rebellion, Lee emphasized, “Such acts that strip away the people's sovereignty with the very weapons entrusted by the people must never happen again. I will restore democracy through a full investigation, punishment of those responsible, and strong measures to prevent recurrence.”
President Lee pledged to transcend partisan divisions in state affairs, saying, “Regardless of whom you supported in this election, I will be a president for all, in accordance with the people's mandate for national unity.” He added, “Let outdated ideologies be consigned to the museum of history. We will adopt useful policies from any era—whether they be from Park Chung-hee or Kim Dae-jung—so long as they serve the people and our nation.”
Declaring the vision for his administration, he said, “The Lee Jae-myung government will be a government of just unity, practical flexibility, and market pragmatism. We will not control and manage, but support and encourage.”
Lee identified economic recovery and revitalizing public livelihoods as his top priorities, announcing the immediate launch of an emergency economic response task force (TF). He emphasized, “We will use public finances as a catalyst to restore the virtuous cycle of the economy.”
He also vowed to foster a business-friendly environment, stating, “We will shift to a negative regulation system and fully support Korean enterprises to compete freely in the global market.” However, he added that “actions threatening workers’ rights or undermining market order, such as stock manipulation, will be strictly punished.”
In foreign and security policy, Lee pledged a “national interest–centered pragmatic diplomacy,” stating, “We will strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance and enhance trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan. Relations with neighboring countries will be approached from a practical standpoint.” He also vowed to maintain dialogue channels with North Korea to build peace on the peninsula, adopting a dual strategy of deterrence and dialogue.
Lee further promised to “restore the honor of the military, which was tarnished by the illegal martial law declaration, and ensure that the armed forces are never again used for political purposes.”
Outlining five national goals, President Lee emphasized:
A nation where the people are the true sovereigns,
A country that grows again with renewed strength,
A society where everyone prospers together,
A nation rich in cultural achievement, and
A safe and peaceful republic.
In the economic domain, Lee advocated for “fair growth that generates new engines of development and fairly shares opportunities and rewards.” He pledged bold investments in cutting-edge sectors such as AI and semiconductors, while also promising an accelerated transition to a renewable energy-based economy in response to the climate crisis.
Regarding cultural policy, Lee declared his ambition to elevate K-culture’s global influence into a driver of economic growth and job creation, aiming to position Korea among the world’s top five soft-power nations.
On safety, Lee committed to uncovering the truth behind major social disasters—including the Sewol ferry, Itaewon Halloween, and Osong underpass tragedies—to create a safer society. “Safety is livelihood, and peace is economy,” he underscored.
Citing author Han Kang, Lee concluded, “The past has helped the present, and the dead have saved the living. Now, it is our turn to become the past that will save future generations.”
Finally, he called on the people to unite beyond minor differences and build “a nation where the people are the true sovereigns—and where they live in happiness, together.”
