Lee Jae-myung Elected President of South Korea
The official results declared the center-left candidate the winner, who called for unity. The ruling party candidate, Kim Moon-soo, humbly accepted his defeat and acknowledged the opposition's victory.
Center-left candidate Lee Jae-myung was elected president of South Korea against his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo, according to official results released Tuesday (June 3, 2025). With more than 98% of the votes counted, Lee won with 49.2% of the vote, compared to 41.5% for Kim, according to figures released by the electoral commission.
Lee Jae-myung, who already knew he was the winner according to exit polls, called for a shift away from the country's "divisions" and "hatred" as he began his term, marking a change of government following the severe political crisis triggered by martial law last December.
"I will fulfill the first mission entrusted to me: to overcome the insurrection and ensure that there will never again be a military coup that intimidates the people with the weapons they have entrusted to them," Lee said during a speech in Yeouido, Seoul.
Meanwhile, his rival, from the former ruling Conservative Party, declared that he would "humbly accept the people's decision" at a press conference at his party headquarters in Yeouido, even before the official results were released, after it became clear that his defeat was virtually definitive. "I congratulate the elected candidate Lee Jae-myung," Kim said.
The new president will take office immediately after the official announcement of the results, with no transition period, given that this is an extraordinary election to replace the ousted Yoon.
Turbulent Election Campaign in South Korea
The election season began in early December when former President Yoon Suk Yeol unexpectedly declared martial law, citing unfounded accusations that the opposition had been infiltrated by communist and anti-state forces. Although Parliament declared martial law invalid within hours, months of chaos followed, and the country was left in a power vacuum. It wasn't until early April that Yoon, 64, was finally removed from office by the Constitutional Court. He faces life imprisonment for high treason.
Lee was narrowly defeated in the last election three years ago. He is considered a polarizing figure: he faces several criminal charges for corruption and electoral law violations, among others. As president, however, he will enjoy immunity. On the eve of the elections, some considered him the lesser-favored of the two candidates.
The weight of the former president's legacy
His opponent was Kim Moon Soo, 73, of the ruling People's Power Party (PPP). As a student, he sympathized with communism and fought for workers' rights, even serving a prison sentence. However, after the collapse of several communist states in the 1980s and 1990s, he says his worldview changed.
Kim is now considered an ultraconservative, advocates a hardline stance against North Korea, and favors the deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons on South Korean soil. However, the legacy of former President Yoon, who belongs to the same party, likely weighed heavily.
Economic Problems
However, economic problems were also a major concern for many Koreans: high prices, few jobs, and scarce affordable housing in urban centers. Young people, in particular, are struggling to find work or housing, and many are forced to live at home longer, which in turn places a burden on many parents. It is no coincidence that economic issues occupy a prominent place on electoral agendas.
In South Korea, the president is elected for a five-year term. He or she wields relatively great power: he or she is head of government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and can use presidential decrees to determine the implementation of specific laws. Therefore, the decision in favor of Lee will also have a significant impact on the East Asian country's relations with China, the United States, and Europe.