Cliff Notes – Liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-Myung wins snap presidential election
- Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party has secured victory in South Korea’s snap presidential election, leading with approximately 48.86% of the votes against Kim Moon Soo’s 41.98%.
- This election occurred amidst recent turmoil, including a temporary martial law declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, which was later reversed and led to his impeachment.
- Lee aims to unify the country and promote dialogue with North Korea, marking a shift from the tensions witnessed during the last administration.
South Korea: Liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-Myung wins snap presidential election
The Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-Myung has won South Korea’s snap presidential election – six months after the country was briefly thrown into martial law.
Kim Moon Soo, candidate of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), said he “humbly accepts [the] people’s choice” after projections showed Mr Lee was expected to win the election.
With around 95% of ballots counted as of 2.40am on Wednesday (6.40 pm in the UK), Mr Lee led with 48.86% of votes to Mr Kim’s 41.98%.
An exit poll from three of South Korea‘s broadcasters also put the Democratic Party leader on 51.7% and Mr Kim on 39.3%
At a news conference, Mr Lee said he would seek to unite the country and find a way to coexist with North Korea through communication and dialogue.
It caps off a tumultuous six months for South Korea, with the country plunged into crisis after former president Yoon Suk Yeol briefly declared martial law on 3 December.
Sources
Lee Jae-myung wins South Korea presidency – BBC
Liberal Lee wins South Korean presidential election as rival concedes – Al Jazeera
Lee Jae-myung wins election as South Korean president – The Guardian
