South Korea: New leader Lee Jae-myung pledges to 'unite' a divided country

Experts say he faces a challenging task, as division and discontentment continue to rack South Korea.

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The 61-year-old won a snap election by 49.4% - a clear rejection of his rival, Kim Moon-soo, who came from the same party as impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol.

Yoon triggered months of political chaos after he attempted to impose martial law, which eventually resulted in his impeachment.

As he takes on the top job, Lee now faces the daunting task of not only uniting the country, but also balancing ties with its most important ally, the US, under President Trump's unpredictable brand of diplomacy.

In a clear reference to his predecessor, the Democratic Party's Lee said in his address that he would "never again" allow democratic institutions to be threatened, adding that he would "become a president who ends the politics of division".