South Korea has elected liberal Lee Jae-myung as president to lead the country through a tumultuous period that will require negotiating trade tariffs with the U.S. and mending the scars from his ousted predecessor's shock martial law declaration.

His turbulent life climaxed, as Lee, 60, the candidate of the main liberal Democratic Party , was elected as South Korea's new president to succeed his conservative archrival Yoon Suk Yeol , who was ousted over his stunning imposition of martial law.