Overview

• Lee Jae-myung secured 51.7% of votes to defeat conservative rival Kim Moon-soo’s 39.3% in the June 3 election.
• Turnout reached 77.8%, driven by public desire to end six months of instability sparked by former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s aborted martial law decree.
• Voters treated the contest as a referendum on Yoon’s administration, with Lee’s leadership during the parliamentary revolt that overturned martial law boosting his appeal.
• A former factory worker turned human rights lawyer, Lee campaigned on an agenda of social equality and plans to propel South Korea’s AI sector into the global top three.
• Lee takes office under the shadow of ongoing corruption and abuse-of-trust investigations, necessitating legal battles alongside his presidential duties.