Lee Jae-myung Sworn In as South Korea’s President Following Yoon Suk-yeol’s Impeachment and Removal

Lee Jae-myung was sworn in as president of South Korea on June 4, 2025, at the National Assembly in Seoul. He succeeded former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was impeached and removed from office after declaring martial law in December 2024. The United States reduced its reciprocal tariff rate on South Korean imports from 25 percent to 15 percent.

President Donald Trump had announced the original 25 percent tariff plan in August 2025. The two leaders held summits in Washington in August 2025 and in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 29, 2025. South Korea pledged a US$350 billion investment in the United States as part of the agreement.

The United States also approved Seoul's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines. President Lee Jae-myung held six bilateral meetings with Japanese leaders in less than a year. He met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in June 2025 and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi three times, including a summit in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on May 19, 2026.

Takaichi took office in October 2025. Lee visited Japan in January 2026, and Takaichi visited South Korea last week. The Lee government approved legislation mandating special counsel investigations into former President Yoon Suk-yeol, other former officials, and corruption allegations surrounding Yoon's wife Kim Keon-hee.

Yoon was sentenced to life imprisonment on insurrection charges in February. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo received a 15-year prison term for his role in the martial law imposition. The National Assembly passed a government restructuring bill that abolishes the prosecution service.

The law takes effect in September and replaces the prosecution service with a new public prosecution office that will only initiate and maintain indictments. Investigative authority will move to a new serious crime investigation office under the interior ministry. Exports reached 89 billion in April, more than 50 percent higher than a year earlier, after 6 billion the previous month.