South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung says he’ll bolster US-Japan ties and pursue talks with North
Associated PressJUN 6
Lee Jae-myung Sworn In as South Korea's New President
Above: Newly-elected President Lee Jae-myung and his wife Kim Hea-Kyung celebrate in front of the National Assembly on June 4, 2025, in Seoul, South Korea. Image copyright: Chung Sung-Jun/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Following Yoon's attempted coup, what South Korea needs now more than ever before is a national reset. Lee's promise to safeguard the nation's democratic traditions, kick-start the economy, and maintain a strong yet peaceful approach to foreign policy offers that chance of renewal. By achieving these aims, Lee can heal the divisions in South Korean society and close the chapter on an unstable period of its history.
Cynical narrative
For all of Lee's promises and rhetoric about national unity, healing South Korea's significant problems is easier said than done. The country faces a litany of serious challenges, ranging from a struggling export-based economy and record youth unemployment to an education system in chaos and the world's worst fertility crisis. Rather than an end to South Korea's woes, Lee's presidency may signal another troubled chapter in the country's politics.