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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| New S Korean president sworn in | New S Korean president sworn in |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Lee Myung-bak has been sworn in as South Korea's president following a landslide victory in December polls. | Lee Myung-bak has been sworn in as South Korea's president following a landslide victory in December polls. |
| International dignitaries including Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended the Seoul inauguration. | |
| Mr Lee, who heads the conservative Grand National Party, promised to revive his country's economy and take a tougher line towards North Korea. | Mr Lee, who heads the conservative Grand National Party, promised to revive his country's economy and take a tougher line towards North Korea. |
| The former Hyundai executive was last week cleared in a fraud inquiry. | The former Hyundai executive was last week cleared in a fraud inquiry. |
| Nicknamed "The Bulldozer" for his dogged work in business and as mayor of Seoul, Mr Lee said: "Economic revival is our most urgent task." | Nicknamed "The Bulldozer" for his dogged work in business and as mayor of Seoul, Mr Lee said: "Economic revival is our most urgent task." |
| Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, he called for summits with North Korea to be held "whenever necessary". | Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, he called for summits with North Korea to be held "whenever necessary". |
| "We must move from the age of ideology into the age of pragmatism," he added. | |
| Mr Lee succeeds Roh Moo-hyun for his single five-year term as South Korea's 10th president. He is the first to come from a business background. | Mr Lee succeeds Roh Moo-hyun for his single five-year term as South Korea's 10th president. He is the first to come from a business background. |
| During his election campaign he steadfastly denied allegations linking him to a 2001 share-rigging scandal, for which an ex-business partner of his is on trial. | During his election campaign he steadfastly denied allegations linking him to a 2001 share-rigging scandal, for which an ex-business partner of his is on trial. |
| Mr Lee was alleged to have links to the investment firm at the centre of the scandal, but cleared a few days before his inauguration. | Mr Lee was alleged to have links to the investment firm at the centre of the scandal, but cleared a few days before his inauguration. |