In his inauguration speech, Lee Jae-myung, South Korea’s newly elected president, pledged to strengthen the nation’s alliance with the United States while pursuing a pragmatic relationship with China.

After six months of turmoil, citizens hope for better times. But political polarization and international tensions over trade mean many worries remain.

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.