Lee Jae-myung Set to Win South Korea's Presidency

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Photo: AP

Lee Jae-myung, the liberal candidate from the Democratic Party, is expected to become the new president of South Korea. This comes after a snap election held just two months after the former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was removed from office.

Yoon was ousted after a big controversy where he briefly declared martial law, causing public anger. People across the country were upset, and many believed that the conservative party had failed them. This created a strong wave of support for Lee.

A joint exit poll by major South Korean TV channels—KBS, MBC, and SBS—shows that Lee Jae-myung got 51.7% of the votes. His main opponent, Kim Moon Soo from the conservative People Power Party, received 39.3%.

Not only exit polls but earlier surveys also showed Lee in the lead. Voters, especially those in the middle, were not happy with the conservatives. The People Power Party has also been divided over how to handle Yoon's actions, making it harder for Kim Moon Soo to win support.

Voting took place across 14,295 polling stations from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Around 80% of the 44.4 million eligible voters cast their ballots. This is the highest voter turnout ever in a South Korean presidential election, according to the Associated Press.

Over the past six months, large groups of people gathered in protests—some in support of Yoon and others against him. His removal from office left a gap in leadership, which affected South Korea’s foreign relations and economy.

The new president will have to face many tough challenges. These include a slowing economy, pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s America-first policies, and growing nuclear threats from North Korea.

Lee Jae-myung has had a long and challenging journey in life. He once worked as a child laborer and later became the mayor of Seongnam and the governor of Gyeonggi Province. He is known for speaking strongly against the conservative powers in the country.

He wants to change how South Korea deals with North Korea. Instead of being aggressive like Yoon, Lee wants to try and talk with North Korea again. However, he admitted that restarting talks with Kim Jong-un will not be easy.

If the final results match the exit polls, Lee Jae-myung will soon lead South Korea into a new chapter, shaped by hope, change, and big decisions.