Lee vows unity, must heed voters’ caution

President Lee Jae-myung set the tone for his administration on his first day in office, pledging to pursue unity, pragmatism, and compromise. In his inaugural address at the National Assembly on June 4, he declared, “As president, I will serve all citizens and be a president for everyone, as the title implies.” He also vowed to revive “a politics of concession and compromise,” signaling that his top priority is national unity as he takes office in the wake of political turmoil involving martial law and a presidential impeachment.

President Lee further committed to moving beyond ideological divisions, promising to lead a “pragmatic, market-oriented administration.” He emphasized that his government would not be bound by ideological labels, stating, “There is no progressive or conservative. If necessary, we will adopt policies of both Park Chung-hee and Kim Dae-jung without discrimination.” This reaffirmed the pragmatic vision he has promoted since last year.

His outreach continued over lunch on his first day in office, when he invited the National Assembly speaker and leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties. “We need a politics of dialogue and competition, not warfare,” Lee said, personally mentioning People Power Party interim leader Kim Yong-tae and promising to keep in touch. This marked a departure from the past three years under President Yoon Suk-yeol, during which dialogue between the president and the opposition was virtually nonexistent. Their only significant interaction was a brief tea meeting last year. Lee has made clear his intention to restore political dialogue.

In the June 3 election, Lee won 17.28 million votes, or 49.42 percent of the total. This was the highest vote share ever for a Democratic Party candidate and also the most votes received by any presidential candidate in South Korean history. Although he beat his closest rival by 2.89 million votes, a margin of 8.9 percentage points, voters stopped short of giving him an outright majority. This delicate balance reflects the public’s message: grant Lee a mandate, but not unchecked power. With nearly 190 seats secured in the broad ruling coalition, Lee’s administration must heed this message and prioritize unity and cooperation.

Efforts at communication may soon be put to the test. The Democratic Party’s push to pass major pre-election legislative pledges could spark conflict with the opposition in the National Assembly. Every president has promised a rosy future in their inaugural address, but governing has often fallen short for various reasons. On his first day, Lee reached out to an opposition that had fiercely battled him throughout the campaign. Whether that gesture will lead to coordinated efforts within the ruling bloc and a break from the opposition’s traditional stance of blanket resistance remains to be seen. The nation is watching.