President Lee Jae Myung declared that a “new” South Korea has returned to the international community and vowed to make the nation a beacon of light for global citizens during his keynote speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

Lee characterized the aftermath of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law bid on December 3 as a "revolution of light" through which South Korea's people had demonstrated the spirit of the UN.

Lee was elected president through a snap election in June following a series of peaceful protests that ultimately led to Yoon's impeachment and removal from office.

Lee emphasized that not even an "insurrection" could break the strong will of the South Korean people and their desire for democracy and peace, adding that the incident had demonstrated the strength of not only South Korea’s democracy, but also democracy worldwide.