In his inaugural speech, Lee focused on the country’s progress toward modernization. This requires public unity, revival of the economy and the establishment of the rule of law. These are the wishes of a public weary of the division and stagnation of the last five years. President Lee must make sure this desire becomes stronger than ever in the hearts of the public. That is the energy that will power the Lee Myung-bak era.

The winds are not favorable at the moment. The government reforms announced during the two-month transition period should have been a time for the ruling and opposition parties to cooperate. The nomination of new Cabinet members should have served as the impetus to dissolve divisions between different regions and classes in society. But as the Lee administration sets sail, nobody seems sure whether the ruling and opposition parties have truly joined hands to take the country in a new direction, or whether east and west, rich and poor have truly taken steps to understand each other. Regardless whose fault this is, it is a task the Lee administration will have to deal with.

The public is urging the Lee administration to improve the country’s economy. But chill winds are sweeping across the global economy. The U.S. economy is expected to grow less than 1 percent due to the impact of the subprime mortgage crisis. If the world’s largest economy slows down, the impact will be felt by China and Korea, slowing down our exports. Prices of raw materials, including grains and crude oil, are skyrocketing to new record highs every day. Negative developments in export markets and crude prices can have debilitating effects on our economy. The Lee Myung-bak era is starting as the weaknesses of the Korean economy are fully exposed to these chill winds. Its first task is to weather these difficulties effectively.

The Lee Myung-bak era must be a time when things go back to normal. The president’s inaugural speech contains a list of where that needs to be done. The inaugural speech is an oath the president makes in front of the public and the country’s history. It begins with the words, “I will obey the Constitution…” Under the rule of a president who despised the Constitution, law and order ceased to exist. Without law and order, there can be no public unity, economic revival or modernization. To re-establish them, the president needs to strictly obey the Constitution.

The next line in the inaugural oath speaks of “protecting the country.” The first issue of national interest President Lee will face is the North Korean nuclear crisis. Right now, North Korea is refusing to report all of its nuclear materials, failing to live up to its agreement in the six-country negotiations. The fate of the Korean peninsula can change depending on whether North Korea gives up or retains nuclear weapons. There cannot be just one way to make North Korea give up its nuclear weapons. But the key is to maintain strong ties with our allies, chiefly the United States. Over the last five years, we deviated from this path. If we do not return to it, the North Korean nuclear crisis could devastate South Korea like a juggernaut.

The inaugural oath commands the president to strive for peaceful reunification of our country. North Korea is our greatest security threat, but at the same time is the other half with which we must eventually reunite. This contradiction prevents us from treating it in only one particular way and reminds us of the reality facing us. There is no need to dwell on the sorry results of the unilateral Sunshine Policy toward North Korea over the last 10 years. But at the same time, we cannot shut out North Korea either. The diplomatic situation at the moment and the wishes of 70 million Koreans look to the wisdom of the Lee administration.

The Republic of Korea celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. We have seen many presidents, and our country has moved forward at an admirable pace. We created a miracle that the surprised the world, and we did things that embarrassed us. We tasted the euphoria of accomplishment, but also felt the pain of setbacks and remorse. But we have come this far. What our new president must take to heart as he starts his own era this morning is the proud history of the Republic of Korea, which came this far through unceasing hard work. Five years hence, the Lee Myung-bak era, too, will be history. Let it be remembered as a time when we forged ahead against innumerable odds.