ⓒYONHAP News

President Yoon Suk Yeol took office on Tuesday, pledging to rebuild the nation to truly belong to the people, based on a liberal democracy and the market economy.

At his inauguration ceremony in front of some 41-thousand people gathered at the National Assembly lawn on Tuesday, Yoon said he is responding to the call of the times to advance South Korea toward fulfilling its responsibility and role in the international community.

Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, climate change, food and energy shortages, low growth and societal polarization, Yoon pointed out that current politics have been rendered incapable of resolving them due to a democratic crisis.

The president assessed that anti-intellectualism, in which discord among different groups leads to the distortion of truth, threatens democracy. He then called on society to redefine the values of liberty to overcome such crises.

On economic growth, Yoon emphasized that only science, technology and innovation can offer opportunities for the country to make a leap forward and achieve rapid expansion.

Regarding North Korea, the president pledged to leave the door to dialogue open to seek a peaceful resolution to the North's nuclear development.

Should the regime take practical steps toward denuclearization, Yoon promised a bold plan in cooperation with the international community to support groundbreaking improvements in the North Korean economy and its people's lives.

Yoon began his official duties as the head of state at the newly relocated presidential office in Yongsan, where he held a series of meetings with visiting foreign delegates.

Arriving at the presidential complex at around half past noon on Tuesday, Yoon went straight to work at his temporary office on the fifth floor.

He expressed joy at having a space prepared for him in such a short time and reiterated the goal of building a country where everyone prospers together.

Douglas Emhoff, the husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, paid a visit to Yoon's office and delivered a letter from U.S. President Joe Biden ahead of their scheduled summit later this month.

The U.S. second gentleman said Biden looks forward to meeting with Yoon, noting the May 21 summit in Seoul will be South Korea’s earliest-arranged summit with the U.S. to-date following the inauguration of a new South Korean president. 

Japan's foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi also delivered a letter from Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. 

According to Japan’s Kyodo News on Tuesday, Hayashi addressed the need for the two countries to develop bilateral ties based on a friendly and cooperative bond built since the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1965.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also invited President Yoon Suk Yeol to visit China at a mutually convenient time.

Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan extended the invitation during a meeting with Yoon on Tuesday.