President Lee Jae-myung takes the oath of office at the Rotunda Hall of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on June 4. / Reporter Park Min-kyu

Six months after former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of martial law on December 3 last year, the administration of President Lee Jae-myung was launched on June 4. Without a presidential transition period, Lee began his duties immediately upon receiving the certificate of election. He marks his 30th day in office on July 3.

President Lee’s first month in office has been defined by three key principles: pragmatism, national unity, and reform. In his inaugural address, he declared, “I will use Park Chung-hee’s policies or Kim Dae-jung’s policies, whichever are necessary and useful, without distinction.” Since then, his appointments and policy decisions have reflected this commitment to pragmatism and unity. His administration has also accelerated its “reform” agenda by promulgating the three special counsel laws that had previously been blocked by a presidential veto, and by shifting the policy approach toward inter-Korean relations.

However, challenges lie ahead. The pragmatic approach will ultimately be judged by its ability to deliver results amid domestic and global economic uncertainties. Continuing to honor campaign pledges and maintain bipartisan cooperation while avoiding accusations of authoritarianism will be no easy task. Building public consensus for reforms is another critical hurdle.

① Pragmatism: Pledge to build ‘flexible and practical government’

President Lee Jae-myung waves next to First Lady Kim Hye-kyung before boarding Air Force One at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on June 16, ahead of their departure for the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. / Reporter Kim Chang-gil

The first theme of Lee’s 30-day presidency is pragmatism. From the outset, he launched a high-speed governance approach rooted in practical decision-making. On his first day in office, he ordered the creation of an emergency economic response task force and convened a 2-hour-and-20-minute meeting the same day.

In foreign policy, pragmatism also took center stage. While maintaining the South Korea–U.S. alliance and trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan, the Lee administration signaled a willingness to improve relations with North Korea, China, and Russia. Just 11 days into his term, Lee attended the G7 Summit in Canada on a “four-day, one-night” schedule, holding 10 summit-level meetings, including with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, signaling South Korea’s return to the global stage.

Personnel decisions, a key indicator of the president’s governance style, also adhered to a pragmatic standard. Lee nominated eight current Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers as Cabinet members and prioritized expertise in each appointment, emphasizing the “practical” criteria behind his selections.

Lee also instructed his staff to skip unnecessary formalities and procedures. Notable examples include his push for substantive discussion during meetings, asking, “What exactly do we need?” and urging participants to “avoid abstract remarks,” as well as presiding over a four-hour Cabinet meeting while eating gimbap.

Still, pragmatism will be tested by results. Stabilizing people’s livelihoods and the economy amid mounting domestic and international challenges is the top priority. Ensuring national interests in security and trade under continued pressure from the Trump administration in the U.S., while managing relations with China, will also test the administration’s mettle.

② Unity and cooperation: ‘Integration as a measure of competence — Divisive politics must stop’

President Lee Jae-myung (2nd from right) poses for a commemorative photo with ruling and opposition party leaders before a luncheon meeting at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, on June 22. From left, Song Eon-seog, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), Kim Yong-tae, interim leader of the PPP, and Kim Byung-kee, acting leader and new floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. / Photo provided by the presidential office

In the wake of extreme polarization and division caused by the martial law declaration on December 3 of last year, President Lee focused on messages of unity during his first month in office. In his inauguration speech, he criticized political forces that “divide the people and spread hatred to cling to power,” and pledged to “end the politics of division.”

Signals of bipartisanship were evident since then. Immediately after taking his oath, Lee hosted a luncheon with the National Assembly Speaker and leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties. On June 22, he invited party leaders to the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul. In light of the criticism directed at former President Yoon for not meeting with the main opposition leadership until after the ruling party's crushing defeat in the 22nd general election, President Lee appears to have taken a proactive approach to bipartisan cooperation from the outset.

On June 26, Lee delivered a policy speech on the supplementary budget bill in the National Assembly and crossed the floor to shake hands with opposition lawmakers. At a Cabinet meeting on July 1, he said, “Appointed power must respect elected power,” a rare move for a head of the executive branch to openly emphasize respect for elected authority in a public meeting.

The decision to retain some ministers and vice ministers from the previous administration, such as Song Mi-ryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Oh Yoo-kyung, Minister of Food and Drug Safety, was seen as both a pragmatic and integrative gesture.

However, growing confrontation between ruling and opposition parties could obstruct unity. Contentious battles over the confirmation of Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok may intensify as ministerial confirmation hearings begin. While the ruling party needs to push key legislation to fulfill campaign promises, doing so could provoke a fierce backlash from the opposition, threatening the spirit of bipartisan governance.

③ Reform and restoration: ‘A completely new country’

President Lee Jae-myung enters the Cabinet meeting held at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on July 1. / Reporter Kim Chang-gil

Unlike previous administrations that employed campaign slogans like Park Geun-hye’s “Normalization of the Abnormal” or Moon Jae-in’s “Eradication of Deep-Rooted Evils,” the Lee administration has avoided such rhetoric. Yet as a government born out of the martial law crisis, it has moved swiftly to uncover the truth and reverse the previous administration’s policies.

On June 5, his second day in office, President Lee revoked the Constitutional Court nomination made by former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and placed five senior Presidential Security Service officials involved in the insurgency on standby. He also promulgated the three special counsel laws previously blocked by a presidential veto and promptly appointed special counsels. The government halted loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea, which were soon reciprocated by the North.

Lee’s first housing policy introduced strong restrictions on mortgage lending. Prosecutorial reform, aimed at separating its investigation and indictment functions, is expected to intensify with the appointments of Justice Minister nominee Jeong Seong-ho and senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Bong Wook. The controversial Police Bureau under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety is also set to be dismantled.

Successfully executing these reforms will require overcoming resistance from entrenched powers. Securing support from the prosecution and opposition parties, groups that often clash with Lee, will be particularly difficult. Signs of fractures within the broader ruling coalition are also beginning to emerge. If the backlash from the Progressive Party and farmers’ groups over the decision to retain Agriculture Minister Song, as well as the skepticism from the Rebuilding Korea Party regarding prosecutorial reform, are not addressed, the Lee administration could find itself facing multiple fronts of opposition.