EX-CONSTRUCTION boss Lee Myung-bak was sworn in as South Korea's new president yesterday, promising business-like pragmatism after a decade of ideological policies he said had left the world's 13th largest economy adrift.

His inauguration speech stuck closely to the campaign pledges for radical change that helped him to a landslide election win in December, ending 10 years of liberal rule his supporters say kept the South Korean economy from reaching its real potential.

"Although it is going to be difficult and painful, we must change much more and much faster," the 66-year-old conservative told an estimated audience of 60,000 people that included Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Analysts say he will have a tough time reaching his target of an average 7 percent annual growth over the next decade and will certainly miss it in his first year, as a global economic slowdown cuts into South Korea's export-dependent economy.

Lee, who also promises to double per-capita income to US$40,000 a year, is limited by the constitution to a single 5-year term to push through his ambitious plans.

Lee, nicknamed the "Bulldozer" from his construction days and whose move into politics included a popular stint as Seoul's mayor, said the country was at a crossroads and urged South Koreans to accept change.

He pledged to cut away bureaucracy to make life easier for businesses that have kept billions of dollars of cash rather than invest the money in what they saw as the stifling economic environment fostered by the outgoing government.

In a nod to foreign investors, who have long complained of discrimination in South Korea, he said he would be more open to the outside world.

Lee made clear he wanted closer relations with the United States, which maintains close to 30,000 troops in the South but with whom relations in recent years have at times been prickly.

Lee made quick efforts to improve ties with neighbor and major economic competitor Japan, agreeing in talks with Fukuda to revive their "shuttle diplomacy" that had been stalled by a bitter dispute over Japan's World War II legacy.

On his likely biggest diplomatic challenge -- how to deal with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) -- the new president said relations between the two must be more productive and repeated past pledges to help the DPRK raise its economy only if it ends its nuclear weapons program.

"Together, the leaders of the two Koreas, must contemplate what they can do to make the lives of all 70 million Koreans happy and how each side can respect each other and open the door to unification," he said.

There was no DPRK representative at Lee's inauguration and its state media has made no direct mention of the election of Lee, who has criticized his predecessor for being too soft on their isolated neighbor.

He has had a bumpy ride since winning the election, clashing early on with one of the main labor unions and teacher groups.

His candidate for minister of gender equality withdrew her nomination after allegations that her family had been involved in real estate speculation -- a highly sensitive issue in land-short South Korea.

Latest opinion polls showed Lee with an around 60 percent approval rating just before his inauguration, well below levels of some of his predecessors.

(SD-Agencies)