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South Korea’s liberal opposition candidate, Lee Jaemuun, was elected president early Wednesday, and was elected president for a victory that holds back months of political turmoil caused by the stunning but short imposition of martial law by now conservative president Yoon Soo-Yeol.
Jae-myeon won 49.3% of the votes in Tuesday’s initial election, while the main conservative candidate Kim Moon-Soo dragged him at 41.3%.
Almost 80% of the country’s 44.4 million eligible voters voted, according to the interim tally. This is one of the highest turnouts of the presidential election in South Korea, reflecting the public’s enthusiasm to overcome political turmoil.
Pre-election investigations have long suggested that Lee appears to be heading for an easy victory, riding on deep public frustration with conservatives after Yun’s martial law fiasco.
Even before Lee’s victory was officially declared, Kim congratulated Lee by telling journalists that he “humble accepts people’s choices.”
Lee Jae-myeon gave a speech to supporters in the capital Seoul after the exit vote predicted his victory.
“The first duty you left to me is I will overcome the rebellion (referring to former President Yoon declaring martial law), and I will make sure there will be no more military coups where power entrusted by people will never be used to threaten people,” Jae Myung said.
Lee (60) will be appointed for a five-year term. The presidential election rose from childhood poverty to become South Korea’s leading liberal politician. His campaign saw him pledge to combat poverty and corruption.
It is not immediately clear what Jaemune’s election means for Seoul’s foreign policy. The new leader has previously been criticized by critics for leaning towards China and North Korea and distanced himself from the US and Japan.
However, the presidential election emphasizes that South Korea and the US alliance will continue to serve as the foundation for foreign policy.
The most frightening external challenges facing Jemune are President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and Pyongyang’s advance nuclear program. However, experts have shown that it is still unlikely to secure significant progress in favor of Seoul on these issues, regardless of who has previously envisaged a presidency.
He vows to pursue practical diplomacy in his foreign policy approach. He has pledged to develop an alliance with the United States and solidify the trilateral Seoul, Washington and Tokyo Alliance.
Jae Myung also said he would work on pursuing a better relationship with North Korea, but admitted that it would be “very difficult” to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Lee Jae-myeon, who held the position of Governor Ga-young-gi and mayor of Sungnam City, has been a controversial figure in the political field for many years.
As a former child worker known for his inspirational “rags” stories, he was prominent by sharply criticizing the nation’s conservative establishment and defending South Korea, which is more aggressive in its foreign policy.
This rhetoric shaped his reputation as a reformer who could implement important changes to address the country’s deep-rooted economic disparities and corruption.
His critics see him as a dangerous populist who relies on political divisions and setbacks and on promises.
Additional sources •AP
