The U.S. ally has been without a permanent leader since late last year, when then-President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached over his botched declaration of martial law.

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea woke on Wednesday to a new liberal president, Lee Jae-myung, who vowed to raise the country from the turmoil of a martial law crisis and revive an economy reeling from slowing growth and the threat of global protectionism.