As expected, Lee Jae-myung won a decisive victory in South Korea's presidential election on Tuesday, June 3. With 48.84% of the vote as of midnight local time, the candidate of the progressive Democratic Party (PD), who comes from a modest background and is known for his tenacity, defeated his rival from the conservative People Power Party (PPP), Kim Moon-soo, who did not surpass 42.74%. Lee has been elected to a single five-year term, promising to "build the real Korea, starting now."

"I salute the decision of the people. We will fulfill our responsibilities and our mission without betraying their expectations," declared the winner around midnight local time, after a whirlwind campaign that began with the impeachment on April 4 of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol (2022-2025), following his aborted declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024.

"The people have delivered a clear verdict against the insurrectionist regime," said Park Chan-dae, head of the PD's parliamentary group. As soon as the victory was announced, Lee's supporters – dressed in blue, the color of his camp – gathered with music outside the National Assembly. "This is a victory for 'K-democracy,'" said a man in his 60s who had already been celebrating his champion's win.

You have 78.97% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.