Key Takeaways
- Lee Jae-myung was sworn in as S Korea’s new president, marking a significant shift in the country’s leadership.
- Lee Jae-myung won 49.42% of the votes in the presidential election, defeating his archrival Kim Moon-soo by a wide margin of 8.27 percentage points.
- Lee Jae-myung assumed duties without a transition period, as he won the snap election triggered by the removal of his predecessor from office over a botched martial law bid last December.
Seoul: Lee Jae-myung was sworn in as South Korea’s new president on Wednesday after formally beginning his single five-year term earlier in the day.
Lee Jae-myung, the newly sworn-in president, took the oath of office in the National Assembly building, emphasizing his commitment to serve all people, regardless of their support for him in the presidential election. 49.42% of voters supported him in the election, a significant margin of victory.
Lee of the majority liberal Democratic Party won 49.42 percent of support, defeating his archrival Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party by a wide margin of 8.27 percentage points.
The president assumed duties without a transition period as he won the snap election, triggered by the removal of his predecessor from office over a botched martial law bid last December.
The scaled-down inauguration event was attended by chiefs of the parliament, the supreme court, the constitutional court, and the election watchdog as well as lawmakers and cabinet members.
Before the event, Lee paid tribute at the Seoul National Cemetery where those who made sacrifices for the country are buried.
