Political change in South Korea: progressive Lee Jae-myung wins the elections

BeijingSouth Korea turns the page and elects opposition leader Lee Jae-myung as president to end the political crisis. This Tuesday, thousands of Lee's supporters erupted in Parliament with the victory of the candidate they hope will restore confidence in democracy.

Lee Jae-myung, of the Democratic Party, clearly defeated his rival Kim Moon-soo, of the ruling People's Power Party (PPP). The progressive candidate won with 48% of the vote, while the conservative candidate only obtained 42%. The clear victory reinforces the electoral shift. Turnout was a record, reaching 79.4%. It is the highest in the last 28 years and demonstrates the mobilization of the population at a time of great political unrest.

During his campaign, Lee has asserted that his priority is to strengthen institutions and reform the Constitution to prevent future presidents from may declare martial law.

The ousted president Yoon Suk-yeol sparked a political crisis to the declare martial law for a few hours last DecemberStreet protests and pressure from parliament led to his dismissal, and he is now awaiting trial for insurrection. The elections put an end to a six-month leadership vacuum.

In addition to trying to mend South Korean society and reduce polarization, Lee will have to quickly take charge of the country to address other problems.

Trump's tariffs

The economy is going through a fragile period. South Korea is highly dependent on exports, and Trump's tariffs are a serious problem. Negotiations with the United States require a strong presidency. The country also requires stability to restore international confidence.

The election winner's platform calls for revitalizing the economy, reining in the power of large family-owned conglomerates, increasing public spending, and improving labor protection. He also plans to reduce dependence on coal.

Compared to the 2022 election campaign, this time Lee has moderated his message and steered clear of overly radical proposals. Although he maintains that South Korea must defend its interests in foreign policy, he has reaffirmed that the United States is its main ally.

The new president will have the advantage of his party's parliamentary majority and will be able to govern without opposition to his legislative initiatives.

Lee Jae-myung has been able to rally voters who wanted change. The elections have largely been seen as a referendum on the declaration of martial law. This decision fractured the party of ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol and pitted other right-wing parties against it. Martial law meant a return to pre-democratic times. Unlike in other countries, such as Spain, in South Korea, the struggle against the military dictatorship was transversal and did not create a fracture between right and left.

Despite the victory and the high turnout during the campaign, voter disaffection has also been felt. No candidate has excited anyone.

It must not be forgotten that the winner faces a judicial ordeal, as he has pending cases for alleged false statements during the previous election campaign. Meanwhile, the defeated Kim, overshadowed by Yoon, has failed to enthuse even his supporters. These past six months have been more polarized, and politics has become more violent. From activist to president

If anything stands out about Lee Jae-myung, it's his resilience. He has campaigned for him wearing a bulletproof vest and held rallies protected by bulletproof glass. A man stabbed him in the neck, and he required surgery. The attacker confessed that he wanted to kill him to prevent him from becoming president. Inspired by the figure of former president Roh Moo-hyun, he dedicated himself to defending human rights in the 1980s. He was initially a presidential candidate, but was defeated by his fellow party member Moon Jae-in. Jae-myung is proposing a reform of the law to allow two consecutive terms in office in the future.