Lee Jae-myung was sworn in as the 21st president of South Korea on April 4 at the National Assembly Square, vowing to end division, revitalize the economy, and lead the country out of crisis. He emphasized the promotion of 'pragmatic diplomacy', continuing the foundations of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and U.S.-Japan-South Korea cooperation.

Lee won the presidential election with a vote share of 49.42%, defeating the People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo (41.15%) and the Reform Party's Lee Jun-suk (8.34%). Since the former president Yoon Suk-yeol has been impeached, the new president's term became effective immediately after the election results were announced.

In his inaugural speech, Lee stated that for the next five years, he would lead the country out of the chaos of the era of martial law and take measures to address global protectionism while revitalizing the economy. He intends to adopt a 'pragmatic diplomacy' policy oriented towards national interests, continuing the U.S.-South Korea alliance and the U.S.-Japan-South Korea relationship. Additionally, he expressed his desire to engage in dialogue with North Korea and to alleviate tensions while pursuing a long-term goal of denuclearization through a framework of dialogue and multilateral cooperation.

Having once come from humble beginnings, Lee faced significant challenges in his political career. At the age of 12, he abandoned his education due to poverty and worked in a factory, resulting in a lifelong injury to his wrist. However, he persevered and eventually enrolled in Chung-Ang University, passing the bar exam to become a human rights lawyer and labor attorney before entering politics, where he successfully challenged the presidency three times before finally achieving victory. President Tsai Ing-wen extended sincere congratulations to Lee on April 4th, expressing hope for deepening the economic, technological, educational, and cultural ties between Taiwan and South Korea.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also issued a statement congratulating Lee on his election as South Korean president, emphasizing the enduring strength of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and expressing hopes that Lee will continue to defend democracy in South Korea and deepen security and economic cooperation with the U.S. and Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio also expressed hopes for a swift leaders' meeting based on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea this year.