In its first 100 days, the Lee administration has moved decisively to define Korea’s position in the global arena and its domestic priorities. On the foreign policy front, President Lee Jae-myung’s first bilateral visits—to Tokyo, then Washington—signaled a sharp pivot toward strategic alignment with Japan and the U.S. These visits produced milestone outcomes: Korea’s first joint statement with Japan in 17 years and major investment pledges, resonating with the administration’s pragmatic diplomacy grounded in national interest.

At home, the Presidential Commission on Policy Planning released a draft Five-Year National Management Plan, setting out the administration’s long-term governance agenda. Key pillars of the industrial agenda include AI innovation, energy infrastructure investment, and capital market revitalization. With a legislative majority, the ruling party is well-positioned to fast-track key reforms, creating an uncommon opportunity for the administration and legislature to move in lockstep.

For GR Korea’s full take on how foreign policy signaling and structural economic reform are shaping Korea’s policy trajectory, read the latest newsletter below.