The new South Korean president, Lee Jae-myung, calls himself a foreign policy “pragmatist”. He says he is driven by South Korea’s national interest, rather than ideology, and has spoken of his desire to improve relations with China and North Korea.

The debilitating political vacuum that has reigned in Seoul since South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment on December 14 has finally ended. On June 3, Lee Jae-myung won South Korea’s presidential election by a decisive margin.

At first glance, Lee Jae-myung appears to be the ultimate political success story. His resume includes key leadership positions: mayor of Seongnam, governor of Gyeonggi Province (home to over 10 million people),