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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Politics

South Korea’s Lee promises to ‘heal wounds’ in first address as president

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung takes an oath during his inauguration at Rotunda hall in the National Assembly in Seoul on June 4, 2025 [Jeon Heon-Kyun/Pool via Reuters]

South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung has pledged to “heal wounds” after months of political and economic turmoil across the country and to reopen dialogue with North Korea in his first speech after taking office following a landslide win at the polls.

Lee, who hails from the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, replaces ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol, who last year triggered a national emergency when he briefly imposed martial law, citing antistate forces and North Korean infiltration.

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