Liberal candidate Lee Jae Myung has won Tuesday’s presidential election in South Korea, with conservative rival Kim Moon Soo conceding defeat, Yonhap news agency reported.
Lee, the candidate of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, assumed the presidency in the early hours of Wednesday after the National Election Commission confirmed his victory, Yonhap reported.
He took office immediately as Tuesday’s election was held to replace former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over a failed bid to impose martial law at the end of 2024.
According to Yonhap, Lee won 49.42% of the votes, while Kim received 41.15%. Voter turnout was extremely high at almost 80%.
A step towards ending the political crisis
With Lee, South Koreans have voted for a political change of direction. Lee comes from the left-leaning opposition camp and is a rival of the conservative Yoon.
The early re-election of the president, who wields considerable power as head of the government and commander-in-chief, is intended to finally resolve the political crisis.
A former human rights lawyer, Lee is in favour of expanding renewable energy production, strengthening workers’ rights and pursuing a foreign policy of rapprochement with China and North Korea.
Economically, he wants to push for a sustainable energy transition and increase government investment in artificial intelligence and other future technologies.
Rags-to-riches story
His biography is that of a classic rags-to-riches story. Born into extreme poverty as the fifth of seven children, Lee’s father registered him with the authorities only after a considerable delay. His exact date of birth is therefore unknown. According to official sources, Lee is 60 years old, but some media outlets put his age at 61.
As a teenager, Lee worked hard in factories to earn a living. He suffered several injuries, including a broken wrist that left him with a permanent disability.
He later made a name for himself as a human rights lawyer and enjoyed a meteoric career in politics. Until 2021, he served as governor of the South Korean province of Gyeonggi.
Lee faces major challenges
Despite his popularity on the left side of the political spectrum, Lee is by no means uncontroversial. The new South Korean president has been embroiled in legal scandals until recently.
A trial for electoral law violations almost cost Lee his presidential candidacy.
Now, as head of state, he faces enormous challenges. In the first quarter, South Korea’s gross domestic product unexpectedly shrank by 0.2%, and US President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs are also clouding the economic outlook for this export-driven nation.
Domestically, South Korean society is also deeply divided. The rifts run between ideological camps, generations and genders.
