Close Menu
Earth & BeyondEarth & Beyond

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    This Is Lorelei Announces Album, Shares New Version of “Name the Band”: Listen

    Trinidad Chambliss: Division II Ferris State to breakout star at Ole Miss

    The West shows up as G2 and FlyQuest move one step closer to Worlds 2025 Knockouts

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Earth & BeyondEarth & Beyond
    YouTube
    Subscribe
    • Home
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Gaming
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Trending & Viral News
    Earth & BeyondEarth & Beyond
    Subscribe
    You are at:Home»Trending & Viral News»Lee Jae-myung wins South Korea presidency
    Trending & Viral News

    Lee Jae-myung wins South Korea presidency

    Earth & BeyondBy Earth & BeyondJune 3, 2025006 Mins Read
    Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Lee Jae-myung wins South Korea presidency
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Woongbee Lee

    Editor, BBC Korean

    EPA-EFE Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party celebrates at an election event at the National Assembly after voting in the presidential election has closed, in Seoul, South Korea, 04 June 2025. South Korea's top broadcasters projected a victory for Lee after more than 60 percent of votes were counted.EPA-EFE

    South Korea has handed a decisive victory to opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung six months after his predecessor’s martial law bid failed.

    The brief yet disastrous move set off huge protests and ended former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s career: impeached and removed from office, he still faces criminal charges for abusing his power.

    But the political chaos that followed means victorious Lee’s biggest challenge is still ahead of him. He must unite a polarised country that is still reeling from it all.

    He also faces challenges abroad – crucially, negotiating a trade deal with US President Donald Trump to soften the blow of tariffs from South Korea’s closest ally.

    His main rival was the ruling party candidate and a former member of Yoon’s cabinet, Kim Moon-soo.

    He had been trailing Lee for weeks in polls and in the early hours of Wednesday, he conceded defeat, congratulating Lee “on his victory”.

    In an earlier speech, Lee had hinted at the win but stopped short of declaring it. He said “recovering” South Korea’s democracy would be his first priority.

    The snap election comes just three years after the 61-year-old lost his last presidential bid by a razor-thin margin to Yoon.

    It’s a remarkable comeback for a man who has been caught in several political scandals, from investigations over alleged corruption to family feuds.

    Analysts say Lee’s win is also a rejection of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), which was tarred by Yoon’s martial law order.

    “Voters weren’t necessarily expressing strong support for Lee’s agenda, rather they were responding to what they saw as a breakdown of democracy,” Park Sung-min, president of Min Consulting, told the BBC.

    “The election became a vehicle for expressing outrage… [and] was a clear rebuke of the ruling party, which had been complicit in or directly responsible for the martial law measures.”

    Lee’s win, he adds, shows that voters had put South Korea’s democracy “above all else”.

    Watch: BBC on the ground in Seoul as new president is announced

    What lies ahead

    Yoon’s departure also left his former party divided and in disarray, with infighting delaying the announcement of a presidential candidate until early May.

    The chaos in the PPP went beyond just Yoon, as two acting presidents who followed were also impeached, before one of them was reinstated – a sign of how contentious South Korean politics had become.

    All of this certainly helped the opposition Democratic Party and its candidate Lee, who signalled more stability.

    But while he has won the election, his challenges are far from over.

    He faces a trial in the Supreme Court over charges of violating the election law. The court postponed the trial until after the election to avoid interference because a conviction could have barred him from contesting.

    But it’s not clear what happens if Lee is now found guilty, though the law says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted for criminal offences, with the exception of insurrection or treason.

    Lee has had a controversial career in which he has built a loyal base but he has also drawn disapproval and ire for what some have called an abrasive style.

    He has spoken openly of a tough childhood in a working class family, before he went to college and became a human rights lawyer.

    He then switched to a political career, making his way up the DP until – in 2022 – he became their presidential candidate. He campaigned on a more liberal platform, promising to address gender inequality, for instance.

    But after he lost the vote, he pivoted, opting this time to move more toward the centre and play it safer with his policies.

    Getty Images South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a press conference on state affairs at the presidential office on November 07, 2024Getty Images

    Former president Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and removed from office – but his legacy loomed over this election

    In office, he will also need to reach across the aisle and work with the PPP, a party he battled regularly during Yoon’s term. But he may need some of them to work with him to rebuild public trust and mend a fractured country.

    “Years of escalating polarisation under both the [previous] Moon and Yoon administrations have left South Korea’s political landscape bitterly divided,” Mr Park said.

    “Lee may speak of national unity, but he faces a profound dilemma: how to pursue accountability for what many view as an attempted insurrection without deepening the very divisions he seeks to heal.”

    Despite the PPP’s loss, Yoon still has a considerably strong and vocal support base – and they are unlikely to go away anytime soon.

    His supporters, mainly young male voters and the elderly, often echo strong right-wing narratives and many of them believe his declaration of martial law was necessary to protect the country.

    Many also peddle conspiracy theories, believing Yoon’s party was a victim of election fraud.

    Thousands protested against his impeachment and in January, shortly after his arrest, a pro-Yoon crowd stormed a courthouse and assaulted police officers.

    With Yoon gone, there are questions about who might fill that vacuum for his base.

    Getty Images Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate for South Korea's new Reform Party (RP)Getty Images

    Lee Jun Seok, who ranked third in polls, has been popular among young men

    One name in particular has emerged: Lee Jun Seok, who also ran for president, but dropped out earlier on Tuesday, when exit polls suggested he was trailing too far behind, with just 7.7% of the votes.

    Still, he has been especially popular with many young men for his anti-feminist views, which has reminded some of Yoon, under whom equality for women became a polarising subject.

    Young men in their 30s came out in higher numbers than usual to vote this time, drawn in part by candidates like Lee Jun-seok. Those wanting to hold the PPP-led government accountable, and others wanting to ensure Lee Jae-myung’s presidency was dashed, led to this year’s voter turnout reaching 79.4% – the highest since 1997.

    However, it is not just healing these divides at home that will keep Lee busy in the immediate future. He also faces urgent challenges abroad, such as navigating the US-Korea alliance under the new Trump administration.

    “South Korea’s pressing domestic challenges are increasingly intertwined with global dynamics,” Mr Park said, adding that it has implications for the country’s economy and defence, given that the US is both a crucial trading partner and security ally.

    A trade deal with the US is top of the agenda, he said, with sluggish demand and slowing growth already hurting the economy.

    Lee – a seasoned politician – goes into office knowing all of this, and in the early hours made a promise to South Korea’s voters.

    “I will do my utmost to fulfil the great responsibility and mission entrusted to me, so as not to disappoint the expectations of our people,” Lee told reporters.

    Jaemyung Korea Lee presidency South wins
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleThe OpenAI board drama is reportedly turning into a movie
    Next Article Lafayette 148 New York Resort 2026 Collection
    Earth & Beyond
    • Website

    Related Posts

    No Kings protest live updates: New York and Atlanta kick off nationwide day of protest | Trump administration

    October 18, 2025

    Exciting results from blood test for 50 cancers

    October 18, 2025

    At least 15 detained after protesters and police clash outside Chicago Ice center | Chicago

    October 18, 2025
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Latest Post

    If you do 5 things, you’re more indecisive than most—what to do instead

    UK ministers launch investigation into blaze that shut Heathrow

    The SEC Resets Its Crypto Relationship

    How MLB plans to grow Ohtani, Dodger fandom in Japan into billions for league

    Stay In Touch
    • YouTube
    Latest Reviews

    No Kings protest live updates: New York and Atlanta kick off nationwide day of protest | Trump administration

    By Earth & BeyondOctober 18, 2025

    Exciting results from blood test for 50 cancers

    By Earth & BeyondOctober 18, 2025

    At least 15 detained after protesters and police clash outside Chicago Ice center | Chicago

    By Earth & BeyondOctober 18, 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest tech news from FooBar about tech, design and biz.

    Most Popular

    Bitcoin in the bush – crypto mining brings power to rural areas

    March 25, 202513 Views

    Israeli Police Question Palestinian Director Hamdan Ballal After West Bank Incident

    March 25, 20258 Views

    How to print D&D’s new gold dragon at home

    March 25, 20257 Views
    Our Picks

    This Is Lorelei Announces Album, Shares New Version of “Name the Band”: Listen

    Trinidad Chambliss: Division II Ferris State to breakout star at Ole Miss

    The West shows up as G2 and FlyQuest move one step closer to Worlds 2025 Knockouts

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    © 2025 Earth & Beyond.
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Disclaimer

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Newsletter Signup

    Subscribe to our weekly newsletter below and never miss the latest product or an exclusive offer.

    Enter your email address

    Thanks, I’m not interested