Yoon Suk Yeol has taken office as South Korea’s new president with a vow to pursue a negotiated settlement of North Korea’s threatening nuclear programme – and an offer of “an audacious plan” to improve Pyongyang’s economy if it abandons its nuclear weapons.

Mr Yoon had promised a tougher stance on North Korea during his campaign but avoided tough words during his inaugural speech amid growing worries that the North is preparing for its first nuclear bomb test in nearly five years.

North Korea has rejected similar past overtures by some of Mr Yoon’s predecessors that link incentives to progress in its denuclearisation.

“While North Korea’s nuclear weapon programs are a threat, not only to our security but also to north-east Asia, the door to dialogue will remain open so that we can peacefully resolve this threat,” Mr Yoon told a crowd gathered outside parliament in Seoul.

“If North Korea genuinely embarks on a process to complete denuclearisation, we are prepared to work with the international community to present an audacious plan that will vastly strengthen North Korea’s economy and improve the quality of life for its people.”

Mr Yoon also addressed South Korea’s growing economic problems, saying decaying job markets and a widening rich-poor gap are brewing a democratic crisis by stoking “internal strife and discord” and fuelling a spread of “anti-intellectualism” as people lose their sense of community and belonging.

He said he will spur economic growth to heal the deep political divide and income equalities.

North Korea’s advancing nuclear programme is a vexing security challenge for Mr Yoon, who won the March 9 election on a promise to strengthen South Korea’s 70-year military alliance with the United States and build up its own missile capability to neutralise North Korean threats.

In recent months, North Korea has test-launched a spate of nuclear-capable missiles that could target South Korea, Japan and the mainland United States.

Pyongyang appears to be trying to rattle Mr Yoon’s government while modernising its weapons arsenals and pressuring the Biden administration into relaxing sanctions on it.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently warned that his nuclear weapons will not be confined to their primary mission of deterring war if his national interests are threatened.

In a policy briefing earlier on Tuesday, South Korea’s military chief Won In-Choul told Mr Yoon in a video conference that North Korea is ready to conduct a nuclear test if Mr Kim decides to do so.

Mr Yoon then ordered military commanders to maintain firm readiness, saying that “the security situation on the Korean Peninsula is very grave”.

Other issues in the tough mix of foreign policy and domestic challenges facing Mr Yoon are a US-China rivalry and strained ties with Japan over history and trade disputes.

South Korea is also bracing for the fallout of Russia’s war on Ukraine in global energy markets.

Chung Jin-young, a professor at Kyung Hee University, said South Korea must accept that it cannot force North Korea to denuclearise or ease the US-China stand-off.

He said South Korea must instead focus on strengthening its defence capability and the US alliance to “make North Korea never dare to think about a nuclear attack on us”.

He said South Korea must also prevent ties with Beijing from worsening.

Mr Yoon did not mention Japan during his speech.

During his campaign, Mr Yoon repeatedly accused his liberal predecessor Moon Jae-in of exploiting Japan for domestic politics and stressed Tokyo’s strategic importance.

But some experts say Mr Yoon could end up in the same policy rut as Mr Moon, considering the countries’ deep disagreements over sensitive history issues such as Tokyo’s wartime mobilisation of Korean labourers and sex slaves.

Some of Mr Yoon’s major domestic policies may face an impasse in parliament, which will remain controlled by liberal politicians ahead of general elections in 2024.

Mr Yoon must also rebuild South Korea’s pandemic response, shaken by a massive Omicron surge in recent months.

He has been also been denied a honeymoon period.

Surveys show less than 60% of respondents expect he will do well in his presidency, an unusually low figure compared to his predecessors, who mostly received about 80%-90% before they entered office.

AP" data-copyright-notice="AP/Press Association Images" data-credit="Lee Jin-man" data-usage-terms="UK only" presidential inauguration reception at the national assembly in seoul jin-man his approval rating as a president-elect was according to survey by gallup korea released last week that put then president moon mr yoon low popularity is blamed part on an acute divide between conservatives and liberals contentious policies cabinet picks. some experts say also has not shown clear vision for how navigate south past foreign policy domestic challenges. won election historically narrow margin after largely catering public frustration over setbacks economic which were criticised letting house prices personal debt soar out of control failing create enough jobs. focused much message young males who resented loss traditional privileges hyper-competitive job market their dimmed prospects marriage parenthood although campaign ignoring plight women. challenges start presidency are toughest most unfavourable ones among korean presidents elected since late period viewed country genuine democracy decades dictatorship said choi jin director seoul-based institute leadership. recent weeks invited criticism even from conservative supporters moving offices mountainside blue palace. capital centre meant better communicate with but critics question why he made it priority when so many other urgent issues tackle. prosecutor-general before resigned joined main opposition party year following internal feuding political allies. srcset="https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/e6df16017e5d01800922399bb2c51f41Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjUyMjYxNTE2/2.66811598.jpg?w=320 320w, https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/e6df16017e5d01800922399bb2c51f41Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjUyMjYxNTE2/2.66811598.jpg?w=640 640w, https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/e6df16017e5d01800922399bb2c51f41Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjUyMjYxNTE2/2.66811598.jpg?w=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px">