Lee Jae-myung, the leader of South Korea's liberal Democratic Party, has won the presidential snap election. According to the National Election Commission, Lee secured 49.25% of the vote, while his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party garnered 41.40%. With 98.51% of ballots counted, Kim conceded defeat and congratulated Lee on his victory. Lee is expected to become South Korea's next president, serving a single five-year term. The snap election was triggered by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office on April 4, 2025 . His conservative rival Kim Moon-soo, from the People Power Party (PPP), conceded defeat and congratulated Lee on his win. “It’s highly likely I will become president,” Lee told supporters gathered outside his home in Seoul, according to Reuters. Who is Lee Jae-myung? A former human rights lawyer and two-time presidential contender, Lee, 61, has long been a prominent figure in South Korea’s liberal politics. Raised in poverty and once a factory worker, he rose to prominence as the outspoken mayor of Seongnam and later as governor of Gyeonggi Province. Lee led the impeachment drive against former president Yoon Suk-yeol, who was removed from office in April following his declaration of martial law during December’s protests. Lee’s campaign focused on restoring democratic norms, reducing inequality, and easing tensions with North Korea. Who lost the election? Kim Moon-soo, the conservative candidate and former labour minister, trailed Lee with around 42.9% of the vote. He struggled to gain support due to his links with Yoon and failed to unify the conservative vote. Lee Jun-seok, a third-party conservative candidate from the New Reform Party, also ran in the race and later conceded defeat. How did Lee win? Lee Jae-myung won the presidential snap election by capitalizing on his role as an opposition leader, particularly by standing against Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid and promising to guide the country out of its political and economic turmoil. His victory was also influenced by the crisis within the People Power Party (PPP) following Yoon's impeachment. The PPP's internal conflicts, including infighting over Kim Moon-soo's candidacy and unclear positions on Yoon's legacy and martial law declaration, weakened the party's support base What happens next? Lee is expected to be sworn in as South Korea’s 14th president on Wednesday. He will serve a single five-year term, as required by the South Korean constitution. Nearly 80% of the country’s 44.4 million eligible voters participated – the highest turnout since 1997, according to the election commission.
