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DW
2 days ago
- Business
- DW
South Korea's Lee Jae-myung sworn in as new president – DW – 06/04/2025
Skip next section Who are the main candidates? 06/02/2025 June 2, 2025 Who are the main candidates? The two front runners are Lee Jae-myung from the opposition left-leaning Democratic Party and the conservative People Power Party's Kim Moon Soo. Frontrunner Lee Jae-myung But Lee Jae-myung, 60, has emerged as the clear leader in opinion surveys released in recent weeks. Lee, a former mayor and governor, most recently served as a lawmaker after narrowly losing to impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol in the 2022 election. But Lee faces ongoing legal cases and investigations for corruption. Before the election, the Seoul High Court postponed a retrial against him on election law charges until after the June 3 vote. In his final campaign speeches on Monday, Lee promised to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions hardened by Yoon's impeachment. He argued that a win by Kim would allow Yoon's "rebellion forces" to return. That would mean "the destruction of democracy, the deprival of people's human rights, the normalization of martial law and our country's downfall into a backward, third-world nation," Lee said. Lee Jae-myung has been leading in opinion polls Image: Kwak Kyung-keun/Matrix Images/IMAGO Conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo Lee's main opponent is Kim Moon Soo, from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) of impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol. He has previously served as a governor of South Korea's Gyeonggi province and was a member of the National Assembly for three terms. On the campaign trail, Kim, 73, has sought to distance himself from ousted president Yoon. But Kim was appointed labor minister by Yoon in 2024 and was widely seen as part of the disgraced leader's inner circle. On the campaign trail on Monday, Kim warned that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles. Lee's Democratic Party already holds a parliamentary majority. Lee "is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship," Kim told a rally. Kim is trailing in polls by some 10 percentage points behind Lee. He was unable to convince the third-place candidate to merge forces and make the election competitive.
DW
2 days ago
- Business
- DW
South Korea: Lee Jae-myung wins presidential election – DW – 06/04/2025
Skip next section Who are the main candidates? 06/02/2025 June 2, 2025 Who are the main candidates? The two front runners are Lee Jae-myung from the opposition left-leaning Democratic Party and the conservative People Power Party's Kim Moon Soo. Frontrunner Lee Jae-myung But Lee Jae-myung, 60, has emerged as the clear leader in opinion surveys released in recent weeks. Lee, a former mayor and governor, most recently served as a lawmaker after narrowly losing to impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol in the 2022 election. But Lee faces ongoing legal cases and investigations for corruption. Before the election, the Seoul High Court postponed a retrial against him on election law charges until after the June 3 vote. In his final campaign speeches on Monday, Lee promised to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions hardened by Yoon's impeachment. He argued that a win by Kim would allow Yoon's "rebellion forces" to return. That would mean "the destruction of democracy, the deprival of people's human rights, the normalization of martial law and our country's downfall into a backward, third-world nation," Lee said. Lee Jae-myung has been leading in opinion polls Image: Kwak Kyung-keun/Matrix Images/IMAGO Conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo Lee's main opponent is Kim Moon Soo, from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) of impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol. He has previously served as a governor of South Korea's Gyeonggi province and was a member of the National Assembly for three terms. On the campaign trail, Kim, 73, has sought to distance himself from ousted president Yoon. But Kim was appointed labor minister by Yoon in 2024 and was widely seen as part of the disgraced leader's inner circle. On the campaign trail on Monday, Kim warned that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles. Lee's Democratic Party already holds a parliamentary majority. Lee "is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship," Kim told a rally. Kim is trailing in polls by some 10 percentage points behind Lee. He was unable to convince the third-place candidate to merge forces and make the election competitive.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee is expected to win election, exit poll shows
With more than 31% of ballots counted as of 11:15 p.m., Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, led with more than 48% of votes, trailed by main conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo with 43%. Advertisement The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations -– KBS, MBC and SBS -– earlier showed Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of total votes cast, beating Kim with 39.3%. Pre-election surveys suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon's martial law debacle that plunged South Korea into political turmoil. Hundreds of Lee supporters gathered outside the National Assembly, waving Korean flags and singing. Advertisement Nearly 80% of the country's 44.4 million eligible voters cast ballots, according to an interim tally. That's one of the highest turnouts for a presidential election in South Korea, reflecting public eagerness to move past the political turmoil. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. Promise to revitalize the economy In a Facebook posting earlier Tuesday, Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgement' against the conservatives over martial law. In one of his final campaign speeches Monday, Lee claimed that a win by Kim would mean the 'return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights.' He also promised to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions. Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, claimed that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already controls parliament. Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship,' Kim told one rally. Supporters of South Korea's Democratic Party's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, react outside the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press Pragmatic diplomacy Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country's conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country's deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. Advertisement His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has has steadfastly vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has promised to solidify a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo partnership, a stance that is not much different than the position held by South Korea's conservatives. Experts say there aren't many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump's tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the U.S. military presence, as well as North Korea's headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts say that has made both Lee and Kim avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals. Impact of tariff hikes Lee's government still could become engaged in 'a little bit of friction' with the Trump administration, while Kim's government, which prioritizes relations with Washington, would likely offer more concessions to the U.S., said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies at South Korea's Kyung Hee University. Chung predicted Lee won't be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country's foreign exchange and financial markets are vulnerable to such changes. Lee has preached patience over Trump's tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. Kim has said he would meet Trump as soon as possible. On Monday, South Korean trade officials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump's announcement that the U.S. will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning Wednesday. South Korea's central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump's tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months. Advertisement Relations with North Korea Relations with North Korea remain badly strained since 2019, with the North focused on expanding its nuclear arsenal while refusing dialogues with South Korea and the U.S. Since his second term began in January, Trump has repeatedly expressed his intent to resume diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but Kim has so far ignored the offer while making Russia his priority in foreign policy. Lee, who wants warmer ties with North Korea, recently acknowledged it would be 'very difficult' to realize a summit with Kim Jong Un anytime soon. Lee said he would support Trump's push to restart talks with Kim, which he believed would eventually allow South Korea to be involved in some projects in North Korea. Foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn't much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearization of North Korea, said Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul's Yonsei University. He said Lee also doesn't share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim three times during his 2017-22 term.
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Exit poll shows liberal candidate Lee forecast to win South Korean election
The poll comes two months after his rival and then-conservative president Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office over his short-lived imposition of martial law. The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations – KBS, MBC and SBS – showed Mr Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of the total votes cast, beating conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo on 39.3%. Pre-election surveys also suggested Mr Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Mr Yoon's martial law debacle. Mr Kim has struggled to win over moderate, swing voters as his People Power Party remains in a quagmire of internal feuding over how to view Mr Yoon's actions. The election serves as another defining moment in the country's resilient democracy, but observers worry a domestic divide worsened after Mr Yoon's martial law stunt is far from over and could pose a big political burden on the new president. The past six months saw large crowds of people rallying in the streets to either denounce or support Mr Yoon, while a leadership vacuum caused by Mr Yoon's impeachment and ensuing formal dismissal rattled the country's high-level diplomatic activities and financial markets. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president on Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. The new president will face major challenges including a slowing economy, US president Donald Trump's America-first policies and North Korea's evolving nuclear threats. Voting began at 6am local time at 14,295 polling stations nationwide, with polls closing at 8pm. Observers say the winner could be announced as early as midnight. More than 19 million people had cast their ballots, according to the National Election Commission's tally as of 8.20pm. Combined with the 15 million who voted during last week's two-day early voting period, voter turnout stood at 78.4%. South Korea has 44.4 million eligible voters. In a Facebook posting on Tuesday, Mr Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Mr Yoon, called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgment' against the conservatives over martial law. In one of his final campaign speeches on Monday, Mr Lee argued that a win by Mr Kim would mean the 'the return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights'. He also promised to revitalise the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions. Mr Kim, a former labour minister under Mr Yoon, warned that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already controls parliament. Mr Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship,' Mr Kim told a rally in the south-eastern city of Busan.
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Exit poll shows liberal candidate Lee forecast to win South Korean election
The poll comes two months after his rival and then-conservative president Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office over his short-lived imposition of martial law. The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations – KBS, MBC and SBS – showed Mr Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of the total votes cast, beating conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo on 39.3%. Pre-election surveys also suggested Mr Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Mr Yoon's martial law debacle. Yoon Suk Yeol (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP) Mr Kim has struggled to win over moderate, swing voters as his People Power Party remains in a quagmire of internal feuding over how to view Mr Yoon's actions. The election serves as another defining moment in the country's resilient democracy, but observers worry a domestic divide worsened after Mr Yoon's martial law stunt is far from over and could pose a big political burden on the new president. The past six months saw large crowds of people rallying in the streets to either denounce or support Mr Yoon, while a leadership vacuum caused by Mr Yoon's impeachment and ensuing formal dismissal rattled the country's high-level diplomatic activities and financial markets. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president on Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. The new president will face major challenges including a slowing economy, US president Donald Trump's America-first policies and North Korea's evolving nuclear threats. Voting began at 6am local time at 14,295 polling stations nationwide, with polls closing at 8pm. Observers say the winner could be announced as early as midnight. More than 19 million people had cast their ballots, according to the National Election Commission's tally as of 8.20pm. Combined with the 15 million who voted during last week's two-day early voting period, voter turnout stood at 78.4%. South Korea has 44.4 million eligible voters. In a Facebook posting on Tuesday, Mr Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Mr Yoon, called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgment' against the conservatives over martial law. Kim Moon Soo (Lee Jin-man/AP) In one of his final campaign speeches on Monday, Mr Lee argued that a win by Mr Kim would mean the 'the return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights'. He also promised to revitalise the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions. Mr Kim, a former labour minister under Mr Yoon, warned that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already controls parliament. Mr Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship,' Mr Kim told a rally in the south-eastern city of Busan.
