South Korea’s newly elected President Lee Jae-myung vowed to counter North Korean threats with military deterrence while simultaneously pushing for dialogue and peace, delivering his inaugural address after being sworn in as leader on Wednesday.

In his speech at the National Assembly’s Rotunda Hall, Lee emphasized that South Korea has a “defense budget double the size of North Korea’s GDP and the world’s fifth-largest military,” and said the ROK will “respond firmly” to “North Korean nuclear and military provocations.” 

However, he also vowed to keep communication channels open with Pyongyang and pursue lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula through