In a decisive victory, Lee Jae-myung of the liberal opposition was elected president of South Korea, securing 49.3% of the votes against conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo. The election saw a remarkable voter turnout of nearly 80%, reflecting public desire to move past the recent political turmoil, including the brief but impactful martial law declared by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee, who campaigned on anti-poverty and anti-corruption platforms, emphasized his commitment to democracy and stability in his victory speech, though uncertainties remain regarding his foreign policy stance.
“The first duty you have entrusted me with, I will overcome the rebellion (referring to former President Yoon declaring martial law) and I will make sure there is no more military coup d'état, in which the power entrusted by the people would never be used to intimidate people.”
“It’s not immediately clear what Jae-myung’s election would mean for Seoul’s foreign policy. The new leader has previously been accused by critics of tilting towards China and North Korea...”
Collection
[
|
...
]