Presidential candidate Lee Jaemyung and his wife Kim Hyekyung in the wee hours of June 4 raise their arms in victory with a bouquet of flowers after hearing of his victory in the presidential election held the day before at a broadcast event for vote counting hosted by the Democratic Party of Korea near the National Assembly in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu District.

By Lee Jihae
Photos = Yonhap News

President Lee Jaemyung on June 4 at 6:21 a.m. officially began his term as the country's 21st president.

The National Election Commission (NEC) that morning held a plenary meeting to officially confirm the standardbearer of the Democratic Party of Korea as president-elect based on the results of the vote.

At 7:11 a.m., Park Chan-dae, the party's interim chairman and floor leader, received the new leader's certificate of election as president from the NEC.

Because this was a snap election, President Lee's term took immediate effect after the NEC declared the winner.

He won 49.42% (17.28 million) of the vote, a record high for the winning candidate of a Korean presidential election, beating Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (14.39 million) and Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party (2.91 million). This also marked a change in administration after three years.

After his victory was confirmed, President Lee assumed command of the armed forces, visited Seoul National Cemetery to pay his respects to those who sacrificed their lives for the country and took his oath of office at the National Assembly to announce the launch of his administration.

His busy schedule for the day includes the appointment of key Cabinet ministers, pressing tasks and phone calls with the leaders of major countries.

National Election Commission Chairperson Roh Tae-ak (left) on June 4 at his agency's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do Province, takes a photo with Park Chan-dae, interim chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, after giving the latter the certificate of Lee Jaemyung's election as president.