Liberal politician Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party won South Korea’s presidential election, a dramatic shift in the nation’s politics. The pre-emptive election came after conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol briefly declared martial law, which was met with nationwide protests and political unrest.
Lee won 51.7% of the votes, edging out conservative opponent Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, who conceded after receiving 39.3%. Lee’s victory is interpreted as a change of heart on the part of the people due to Yoon’s controversial leadership.
Born to poverty in a rural village, Lee’s is a rags-to-riches tale. As a teenager, he was forced to work in factories and got injured in a workplace accident, his arm never the same. Through adversity, he earned a law degree and passed the state bar exam in 1986 and eventually became a human rights lawyer.
Stepping into politics in 2005, Lee was Seongnam’s mayor and governor of Gyeonggi Province. His uncompromising attitude towards welfare and justice gained him popularity, although he is still a divisive one. He had lost the presidential election in 2022 by a slim margin beforehand.
Lee’s political career has been filled with controversy, such as legal proceedings related to a land scandal and an election debate in 2022. In November 2024, he received a suspended sentence, later revoked prior to being reinstated by the Supreme Court. His next court hearing is due on June 18. As president, he would be exempt from prosecution under Article 84 of the Constitution.
Lee’s victory comes in the wake of his courageous resistance to martial law and leadership in Yoon’s collapse. With the impending major domestic and global issues, such as economic deceleration, tension with North Korea, and evolving US foreign policy, Lee has vowed pragmatic diplomacy and governance.
