Overview

• Lee Jae-myung won the June 3 snap election following Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment and assumed office immediately with the Democratic Party’s commanding majority.
• In their first conversation on June 6, Lee and President Trump agreed to work toward a mutually satisfactory tariff deal before July 8 to extend the suspension of reciprocal tariffs.
• The leaders also committed to meet in person soon, potentially on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada or the NATO summit in the Netherlands, to deepen their alliance.
• Lee has signaled a shift to “pragmatic” diplomacy, balancing the U.S. security partnership with efforts to improve ties with China and initiate dialogue with North Korea.
• Domestically, Lee’s supermajority opens the door to significant legislative initiatives, including proposals to reform the judiciary and boost economic support for workers and industries.