STORY: South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae-myung pledged on Wednesday (June 4) to raise the country from the near destruction caused by a martial law attempt and revive an economy besieged by global protectionism that is threatening its very existence.

Lee's decisive victory in Tuesday's (June 3) snap election stands to usher in a sea change in Asia's fourth-largest economy, after backlash against a botched attempt at military rule brought down Yoon Suk Yeol just three years into his troubled presidency.

"A Lee Jae-myung government will be a pragmatic pro-market government," he said after taking the oath of office at parliament, a location where six months ago he jumped over the perimeter wall to enter the chamber and avoid martial law troops barricading it to vote down the decree.

Lee faces what could be the most daunting set of challenges for a South Korean leader in nearly three decades, ranging from healing a country deeply scarred by the martial law attempt to tackling unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SOUTH KOREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED LEADER, LEE JAE-MYUNG, AND HIS WIFE ATTENDING SWEARING-IN CEREMONY AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY / SOUNDBITES FROM LEE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (JUNE 4, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. SOUTH KOREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT, LEE JAE-MYUNG, AND HIS WIFE, KIM HYE-KYUNG, WALKING IN SWEARING-IN CEREMONY VENUE, TAKING THEIR SEATS AND BOWING

2. VARIOUS OF CEREMONY IN PROGRESS

3. ATTENDEES PAYING SILENT TRIBUTE

4. LEE AND KIM PAYING SILENT TRIBUTE

5. LEE STANDING

6. LEE WALKING TOWARDS PODIUM

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT, LEE JAE-MYUNG, SAYING:

“I solemnly swear before the people that I will faithfully carry out my duties as president by upholding the Constitution, defending the nation, striving for the peaceful reunification of the homeland, promoting the freedom and welfare of the people, and advancing our national culture. June 4, 2025. President Lee Jae-myung.”

8. LEE BOWING / ATTENDEES CLAPPING

9. CEREMONY IN PROGRESS

10. LEE SPEAKING AT PODIUM

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT, LEE JAE-MYUNG, SAYING:

“It is time to restore our democracy, which has been destroyed by armoured vehicles and rifles, our livelihoods and economy, which have collapsed due to indifference and irresponsibility, and our national security and peace, which have been reduced to tools of political strife.”

12. CEREMONY IN PROGRESS

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT, LEE JAE-MYUNG, SAYING:

"A Lee Jae-myung government will be a pragmatic pro-market government."

14. LEE SPEAKING AT PODIUM

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT, LEE JAE-MYUNG, SAYING:

“Through a pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interest, we will turn the crisis of global economic, security, and environmental transformation into opportunities to maximise our national interest. Based on a strong South Korea–U.S. alliance, we will strengthen trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan, while approaching relations with neighbouring countries from the perspective of practicality and national interest.”

16. LEE SPEAKING AT PODIUM

17. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT, LEE JAE-MYUNG, SAYING:

“No matter how costly, peace is better than war. It is better to win without fighting than to win in a fight, and peace with no need to fight is the best security.”

18. LEE SPEAKING AT PODIUM

19. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT, LEE JAE-MYUNG, SAYING:

“We will respond to North Korea’s nuclear and military provocations with strong deterrence based on the South Korea-U.S. military alliance, while keeping communication channels with the North open and building peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation.”

20. LEE BOWING / ATTENDEES CLAPPING

21. LEE AND KIM SHAKING HANDS WITH SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS ON STAGE

22. VARIOUS OF LEE AND KIM SHAKING HANDS WITH ATTENDEES WHILE LEAVING VENUE