Lee Jae-myung projected to win South Korea presidency

The Advertiser

2 days ago

Liberal party candidate Lee Jae-myung is projected to win South Korea's snap presidential election by wide margins, according to exit polls, ushering in a political sea change after backlash against martial law brought down his predecessor.
Results of the surveys by South Korean broadcasters, which Reuters has not independently confirmed, were released after nearly 80 per cent of the nation's 44.39 million eligible voters had cast their ballots.
South Koreans are hoping to put six months of turmoil from ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree behind them and for a reversal in the ebbing fortunes of Asia's fourth-largest economy.
The joint exit poll by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS, which has in previous elections mostly been in line with the final results, put Lee on 51.7 per cent and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo on 39.3 per cent.
After being impeached by parliament in December, Yoon was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, less than three years into his five-year term, triggering the snap election that now stands to remake the country's political leadership and foreign policies.
Lee had called the election "judgment day" against the previous Yoon administration and the conservative People Power Party, accusing them of having condoned the martial law attempt by not fighting harder to thwart it and even trying to save Yoon's presidency.
The winner must tackle challenges including a society deeply scarred by divisions made more obvious since the attempt at military rule, and an export-heavy economy reeling from unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.
Both Lee and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo pledged change, saying South Korea's political system and economic model set up during its rise as a budding democracy and industrial power are no longer fit for purpose.
Their proposals for investment in innovation and technology often overlapped, but Lee advocated more equity and help for mid- to low-income families while Kim campaigned on giving businesses more freedom from regulations and labour strife.
Overshadowing any social policy initiatives, however, was Yoon's brief attempt to impose martial law that has loomed large over the poll.
Kim was Yoon's labour minister when the former president declared martial law on December 3.
He has branded Lee a "dictator" and his Democratic Party a "monster," warning if the former human rights lawyer becomes president, nothing will stop them from working together to amend laws simply because they do not like them.
There were no female candidates running in Tuesday's election for the first time in 18 years.
Despite polls showing wide gaps between young men and women, gender equality was not among the key policy issues put forward during this election, a stark contrast from the 2022 vote.
Ballots will be sorted and counted by machine first, then triple-checked by election officials by hand to verify accuracy.
The National Election Commission is scheduled to certify the result on Wednesday and the winner's inauguration is expected within hours. There will be no presidential transition as the office has remained vacant since Yoon was removed.
Reuters and EFE
Liberal party candidate Lee Jae-myung is projected to win South Korea's snap presidential election by wide margins, according to exit polls, ushering in a political sea change after backlash against martial law brought down his predecessor.
Results of the surveys by South Korean broadcasters, which Reuters has not independently confirmed, were released after nearly 80 per cent of the nation's 44.39 million eligible voters had cast their ballots.
South Koreans are hoping to put six months of turmoil from ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree behind them and for a reversal in the ebbing fortunes of Asia's fourth-largest economy.
The joint exit poll by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS, which has in previous elections mostly been in line with the final results, put Lee on 51.7 per cent and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo on 39.3 per cent.
After being impeached by parliament in December, Yoon was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, less than three years into his five-year term, triggering the snap election that now stands to remake the country's political leadership and foreign policies.
Lee had called the election "judgment day" against the previous Yoon administration and the conservative People Power Party, accusing them of having condoned the martial law attempt by not fighting harder to thwart it and even trying to save Yoon's presidency.
The winner must tackle challenges including a society deeply scarred by divisions made more obvious since the attempt at military rule, and an export-heavy economy reeling from unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.
Both Lee and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo pledged change, saying South Korea's political system and economic model set up during its rise as a budding democracy and industrial power are no longer fit for purpose.
Their proposals for investment in innovation and technology often overlapped, but Lee advocated more equity and help for mid- to low-income families while Kim campaigned on giving businesses more freedom from regulations and labour strife.
Overshadowing any social policy initiatives, however, was Yoon's brief attempt to impose martial law that has loomed large over the poll.
Kim was Yoon's labour minister when the former president declared martial law on December 3.
He has branded Lee a "dictator" and his Democratic Party a "monster," warning if the former human rights lawyer becomes president, nothing will stop them from working together to amend laws simply because they do not like them.
There were no female candidates running in Tuesday's election for the first time in 18 years.
Despite polls showing wide gaps between young men and women, gender equality was not among the key policy issues put forward during this election, a stark contrast from the 2022 vote.
Ballots will be sorted and counted by machine first, then triple-checked by election officials by hand to verify accuracy.
The National Election Commission is scheduled to certify the result on Wednesday and the winner's inauguration is expected within hours. There will be no presidential transition as the office has remained vacant since Yoon was removed.
Reuters and EFE
Liberal party candidate Lee Jae-myung is projected to win South Korea's snap presidential election by wide margins, according to exit polls, ushering in a political sea change after backlash against martial law brought down his predecessor.
Results of the surveys by South Korean broadcasters, which Reuters has not independently confirmed, were released after nearly 80 per cent of the nation's 44.39 million eligible voters had cast their ballots.
South Koreans are hoping to put six months of turmoil from ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree behind them and for a reversal in the ebbing fortunes of Asia's fourth-largest economy.
The joint exit poll by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS, which has in previous elections mostly been in line with the final results, put Lee on 51.7 per cent and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo on 39.3 per cent.
After being impeached by parliament in December, Yoon was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, less than three years into his five-year term, triggering the snap election that now stands to remake the country's political leadership and foreign policies.
Lee had called the election "judgment day" against the previous Yoon administration and the conservative People Power Party, accusing them of having condoned the martial law attempt by not fighting harder to thwart it and even trying to save Yoon's presidency.
The winner must tackle challenges including a society deeply scarred by divisions made more obvious since the attempt at military rule, and an export-heavy economy reeling from unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.
Both Lee and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo pledged change, saying South Korea's political system and economic model set up during its rise as a budding democracy and industrial power are no longer fit for purpose.
Their proposals for investment in innovation and technology often overlapped, but Lee advocated more equity and help for mid- to low-income families while Kim campaigned on giving businesses more freedom from regulations and labour strife.
Overshadowing any social policy initiatives, however, was Yoon's brief attempt to impose martial law that has loomed large over the poll.
Kim was Yoon's labour minister when the former president declared martial law on December 3.
He has branded Lee a "dictator" and his Democratic Party a "monster," warning if the former human rights lawyer becomes president, nothing will stop them from working together to amend laws simply because they do not like them.
There were no female candidates running in Tuesday's election for the first time in 18 years.
Despite polls showing wide gaps between young men and women, gender equality was not among the key policy issues put forward during this election, a stark contrast from the 2022 vote.
Ballots will be sorted and counted by machine first, then triple-checked by election officials by hand to verify accuracy.
The National Election Commission is scheduled to certify the result on Wednesday and the winner's inauguration is expected within hours. There will be no presidential transition as the office has remained vacant since Yoon was removed.
Reuters and EFE
Liberal party candidate Lee Jae-myung is projected to win South Korea's snap presidential election by wide margins, according to exit polls, ushering in a political sea change after backlash against martial law brought down his predecessor.
Results of the surveys by South Korean broadcasters, which Reuters has not independently confirmed, were released after nearly 80 per cent of the nation's 44.39 million eligible voters had cast their ballots.
South Koreans are hoping to put six months of turmoil from ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree behind them and for a reversal in the ebbing fortunes of Asia's fourth-largest economy.
The joint exit poll by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS, which has in previous elections mostly been in line with the final results, put Lee on 51.7 per cent and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo on 39.3 per cent.
After being impeached by parliament in December, Yoon was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, less than three years into his five-year term, triggering the snap election that now stands to remake the country's political leadership and foreign policies.
Lee had called the election "judgment day" against the previous Yoon administration and the conservative People Power Party, accusing them of having condoned the martial law attempt by not fighting harder to thwart it and even trying to save Yoon's presidency.
The winner must tackle challenges including a society deeply scarred by divisions made more obvious since the attempt at military rule, and an export-heavy economy reeling from unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.
Both Lee and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo pledged change, saying South Korea's political system and economic model set up during its rise as a budding democracy and industrial power are no longer fit for purpose.
Their proposals for investment in innovation and technology often overlapped, but Lee advocated more equity and help for mid- to low-income families while Kim campaigned on giving businesses more freedom from regulations and labour strife.
Overshadowing any social policy initiatives, however, was Yoon's brief attempt to impose martial law that has loomed large over the poll.
Kim was Yoon's labour minister when the former president declared martial law on December 3.
He has branded Lee a "dictator" and his Democratic Party a "monster," warning if the former human rights lawyer becomes president, nothing will stop them from working together to amend laws simply because they do not like them.
There were no female candidates running in Tuesday's election for the first time in 18 years.
Despite polls showing wide gaps between young men and women, gender equality was not among the key policy issues put forward during this election, a stark contrast from the 2022 vote.
Ballots will be sorted and counted by machine first, then triple-checked by election officials by hand to verify accuracy.
The National Election Commission is scheduled to certify the result on Wednesday and the winner's inauguration is expected within hours. There will be no presidential transition as the office has remained vacant since Yoon was removed.
Reuters and EFE