South Korea has finally elected a new president
There was no surprise. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who had demanded the resignation of former president Yoon Suk-yeol after he declared martial law, won South Korea’s snap presidential election. On June 3, Lee defeated the ruling People Power Party’s candidate, Kim Moon-soo, with 49.4% of the vote versus 41.15%. South Korea uses a single-round, first-past-the-post voting system.
Just one day later, on June 4, Lee was sworn in as president.
The urgency was understandable; the country had been in political limbo since last year, governed by an acting president amid escalating political confrontation. The crisis began after Yoon’s clumsy attempt to suppress his political opponents by declaring martial law. The public rejected that path, and the country has now chosen a new leader. According to multiple reports, Lee mobilized parliament to vote against the state of emergency in a critical moment, effectively neutralizing the executive branch and the military it had deployed.
Lee is not a radical outsider. Though he began his career as a human rights lawyer, he is fully integrated into the South Korean political establishment. He lost to Yoon by less than one percentage point in the previous election, and his Democratic Party currently holds a parliamentary majority. Lee is known as a public figure for his dramatic 19-day hunger strike in 2023, which he staged to protest government policy. The strike ended only after he was hospitalized. In 2024, he survived an assassination attempt, sustaining a neck injury from a knife attack. Despite ongoing criminal investigations and court cases against him, Lee’s campaign was not derailed.
The new president has a reputation as a «man of the people» who rose from humble beginnings. The fifth child in a poor family, he earned a law degree and overcame numerous personal and professional obstacles to become the nation’s leader.
In his inaugural address, he adopted an American tone, pledging to be «a president for all South Koreans» and close the chapter on the turbulence caused by martial law, which fractured the nation. «It is time to build bridges of coexistence, reconciliation, and solidarity instead of hate and confrontation», he declared. However, achieving that will not be easy. The country remains divided, as the close election results demonstrated once again.
It remains to be seen how Lee will handle his political opponents, including former President Yoon, who is currently under investigation. Lee has not yet made public statements on the matter. It seems likely that he will strengthen South Korea’s democratic system and prevent another attempted coup, potentially by targeting law enforcement and security institutions.
«The time has come to usher in an era of happiness for the people, filled with dreams and hope», Lee proclaimed. Such rhetoric is clearly part of the inaugural ceremony. In reality, however, the South Korean economy is teetering on the edge of stagnation. As Lee himself admitted, the country is trapped in a «confused web of overlapping crises — in diplomacy, national security, and democracy».
Regarding foreign policy, the newly elected president expressed a desire for pragmatism. He pledged to reopen dialogue with North Korea and adopt a less hostile approach toward China and Russia than his predecessor did. However, he emphasized the importance of strengthening alliances with the United States and Japan while safeguarding South Korea’s national interests. A U.S.-imposed tariff exemption is set to expire on July 8, and former President Donald Trump is awaiting a more favorable trade proposal from Seoul. However, based on Lee’s public statements, he appears in no rush to negotiate.
Relations with North Korea remain a distinct challenge. In recent decades, periods of confrontation have alternated with attempts at dialogue. From Seoul’s perspective, now may be the time for renewed engagement. «We will keep channels open with the North and build peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation», Lee said. «It is better to win without fighting than to win through conflict. The most reliable form of security is peace, which renders war unnecessary». His words echo the philosophy of The Art of War, which emphasizes victory through strategic deterrence rather than confrontation.
However, it is unclear how Lee intends to outmaneuver Pyongyang in this «peaceful struggle». North Korea, long skeptical of Seoul’s overtures, sees only growing threats from its ally, the United States. An American expeditionary force of approximately 30,000 troops is stationed in South Korea, and nearby seas host U.S. aircraft carriers equipped with nuclear weapons. Legally, North Korea is still at war with the U.S. and South Korea. In practice, the region is on a near-military footing. Even if diplomatic relations are restored, Pyongyang has clearly chosen a path of sovereignty backed by military might and will not be swayed by empty promises.
Observers have taken special note of Lee’s first appointments: Wi Sung-lac, a seasoned diplomat and former ambassador to Russia, was named head of the Presidential Office’s National Security Bureau, the equivalent of national security advisor. Wi, a sitting Democratic Party lawmaker, is widely believed to have been the intellectual force behind Lee’s foreign policy platform during the campaign. His appointment signals a more pragmatic approach toward Moscow and a potential shift in South Korea’s diplomatic stance in the U.S.-China-Russia triangle.