A new South Korean administration has been inaugurated. Following nearly six months of far-reaching disruptions across political, economic, and social spheres unleashed by the December 3 declaration of martial law, South Korea now stands at a critical political juncture - poised to stabilize its domestic order and invigorate a national rebound. Domestically, the Lee Jae-myung administration has been entrusted with a critical mandate to restore democratic order by resolving the internal unrest and revitalizing a stagnant economy. On the foreign policy front, the administration confronts the pressing imperative of safeguarding national interests amid the rapidly shifting security landscape and the emergence of an assertive foreign policy that prioritizes national interests around the world. This paper examines the foundational orientation of South Korea’s foreign policy under the new administration and analyzes key policy considerations in the early phase of the Lee Jae-myung administration, with particular attention to the Korea–U.S. relationship.

1. The Foreign Policy Orientation of the New South Korean Administration

2. Policy Recommendations