Lee Jae-myung was able to resume his presidential campaign after South Korea’s martial law ended

The liberal politician Lee Jae-myung, who is favored to govern South Korea in the future, has surmounted a knife attack, martial law, and criminal accusations while making an unexpected comeback to the president.

Lee was declared the Democratic Party’s nominee on Sunday. In most surveys, he is ahead of his conservative rivals by double digits ahead of the June 3 snap election, which was called after Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted from government for his brief effort to impose martial emergency in December.

Yoon, who accused Lee of obstruction in defending the martial law declaration that resulted in Yoon’s removal, narrowly defeated Lee for the presidency, capping off Lee’s extraordinary path from child laborer to human rights attorney to governor renowned for his COVID-19 response.

Described by one adviser as a “gladiator in a suit,” Lee, 61, would have to calm polarized politics and deal with growing economic concerns if elected. He would also have to negotiate with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on issues ranging from tariffs to the cost of housing American troops in the nation.

As far as foreign policy goes, Lee is thought to be less tough on North Korea than Yoon, which might help him support any initiatives Trump makes to engage Kim Jong Un, the leader of the country.

Legal charges that have been dismissed by various courts could jeopardize Lee’s presidential eligibility. However, after spearheading the attempt to remove Yoon from office in a turbulent political crisis, he is now in a position to win.

On December 3, when Yoon imposed martial law for six hours, Lee scaled the National Assembly’s ramparts to get beyond security cordons that Yoon had ordered. In his livestream, he called on viewers to protest outside parliament in order to stop politicians from being arrested.

He later told Reuters that he was committed to eliminating the situation, comparing it to a “virus” that had infected the South Korean system.

“We have to focus on removing the virus,” he declared. “With proper, rapid treatment, we will recover, and through the process, our nation and democracy will become even stronger.”

HEAVY START

In a remote mountain community in the southeast of the country, Lee was born into a poor farming family and spent his early years working in chemical industries. His emphasis on economic equality, he claims, is explained by the event, which left him with a wrist deformity and hearing impairment.

As a labor and human rights attorney, he went into politics and was elected mayor of Seongnam, which is south of Seoul, in 2010. In the 2017 DP presidential primary, he finished third, aiming for greater position following the removal and impeachment of conservative Park Geun-hye. The next year, Gyeonggi-do, the most populous province in South Korea, elected Lee as its governor.

At first, his outsider status was seen as a liability versus establishment rivals during the 2022 presidential campaign. However, a number of people were demoralized by exorbitant housing costs, limited job opportunities, and a series of corruption scandals; hence, Lee’s populist speech propelled him to the top of the group.

Lee became the new president’s major rival as DP leader in parliament after Yoon narrowly won South Korea’s most recent presidential election.

A rare move, Yoon declined to meet with Lee and later used the Constitutional Court’s rejection of his argument—unprecedented parliamentary obstruction—as grounds for martial law.

In January 2024, a guy who had published a manifesto stating that he wanted to make sure Lee never became president stabbed Lee in the neck. The attacker is incarcerated for 15 years for attempting to kill someone.

STATEMENTS AND SCANDALS

Ahead of this election, Lee has toned down some of his positions on policies.

His focus has shifted from advocating for a balanced strategy between China and the United States to lauding South Korea’s partnership with Washington.

His enthusiasm for ideas like universal basic income has waned in favor of more business-friendly policies like easing limitations on working hours, changing inheritance taxes, and providing incentives to businesses that maintain production in South Korea.

Lee is involved in a number of legal issues and scandals.

After being found guilty in November of breaking the election law, he received a sentence that might have prevented him from winning the president. Last month, the conviction was reversed by an appeals court, and the Supreme Court is currently considering his case. The date and result of its decision may have an impact on his eligibility.

The accusation of forcing a witness to commit perjury was dropped against Lee in November. The decision has been challenged by prosecutors.

His other cases include one involving a $1 billion property development scandal and another involving a purported attempt to transfer money to North Korea and arrange a visit to Pyongyang while serving as a province governor through an underwear firm.

He has refuted each and every claim.