[By Guancha Observer, Xiong Chaoyi] At 6:00 a.m. local time on June 3rd, the voting for the 21st South Korean presidential election officially began. Around 5:03 a.m. on the 4th, the counting work ended. According to the counting results, Lee Jae-myung, the candidate of the Democratic Party, received 49.42% of the votes, Kim Moon-hwan, the candidate of the People Power Party, received 41.15%, and Lee Jun-sik, the candidate of the Reform New Party, received 8.34%. Therefore, Lee Jae-myung was officially confirmed as the President-elect of South Korea.
On the 4th, the Central Election Management Committee of South Korea held a plenary meeting and passed a resolution on the results of the general election. Lee Jae-myung's presidential term officially began at 6:21 a.m. local time. The Ministry of Public Administration of South Korea then stated that the inauguration ceremony of the 21st President Lee Jae-myung would be held at 11:00 a.m. local time on the 4th in the National Assembly.
At midnight on the 4th, during the vote counting period, Lee Jae-myung arrived at the rally site in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, and delivered a speech, expressing gratitude to the South Korean people. Lee Jae-myung stated that after being officially elected, he would quickly strive to end the current political chaos, boost the South Korean economy, and restore the normal lives of South Korean citizens. He also mentioned that he would quickly stabilize the situation on the Korean Peninsula, engage in dialogue with North Korea, seek win-win outcomes, and finally called on South Koreans to heal divisions and move forward together.
Professor Zhan Debin, director of the Center for Korean Peninsula Studies at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, told the Guancha Observer that compared to conservative presidential candidates like Kim Moon-hwan, who are more ideologically inclined and emphasize "camp diplomacy," Lee Jae-myung's foreign policy is more pragmatic and balanced. Although he emphasizes the ROK-US alliance as the foundation of South Korea's foreign policy, he also values the ROK-China relationship.
Since former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol launched the "state of emergency" in December last year, not only was he impeached and removed from office, but it also caused continuous political turmoil in his country. BBC believes that whoever wins this election must face a series of urgent challenges at home and abroad. Reuters said that the new South Korean president needs to unite the society deeply affected by Yoon Suk-yeol's "state of emergency" attempt and revitalize the economy heavily reliant on exports, which is currently suffering due to the unpredictable protectionist policies of the US Trump administration.
Local time on the 4th, Seoul, South Korea, Lee Jae-myung salutes supporters outside the National Assembly. Visual China
Lee Jae-myung vs. Kim Moon-hwan, what about their policy proposals?
According to Yonhap News Agency reports, on the morning of the 4th, after Lee Jae-myung was confirmed as the winning candidate for the presidency, he went to Yeouido, Seoul, to deliver a speech. He stated that he will certainly overcome the internal chaos and prevent military coups. Lee Jae-myung expressed that he will practice the mission of restoring democracy, safeguarding the sovereignty of the people, and building a harmonious society. He promised that from the moment he is confirmed as the elected president, he will spare no effort to boost the economy and improve people's livelihood. He also said that the state should be responsible for protecting the lives and personal safety of its citizens. Many innocent lives were lost in several major accidents in the past, and from now on, the primary task of ensuring the lives and safety of citizens will be earnestly fulfilled.
Lee Jae-myung promised that he will create a coexistence-friendly Korean Peninsula based on strong national defense capabilities to demonstrate deterrence against North Korea, while also engaging in dialogue and communication with the other side. He will seek ways for peace and prosperity between North and South Korea, quickly stabilize the situation on the Korean Peninsula, minimize the "South Korean risk," and strive to avoid security issues negatively affecting people's lives.
Lee Jae-myung also emphasized the need to beware of a society filled with animosity, leading to division and confrontation. He said that even if factions may form in politics, citizens do not have to do so. Uniting the citizens is the mission of the president, and he will remember this mission. He proposed that citizens work together to build a "great world of helping the weak and restraining the strong," where everyone enjoys equal opportunities.
Lee Jae-myung, who once served as mayor of Seongnam City and governor of Gyeonggi Province, has been a highly controversial figure in South Korean politics for many years. His sharp criticism of the South Korean conservative system made him famous, and he advocated for a more confident foreign policy for South Korea. This statement portrayed him as a reformer, and the public expects him to push for comprehensive reforms to address the deep-seated issues of economic inequality and corruption in South Korea.
However, his critics consider him a dangerous populist who is adept at stoking social divisions and frequently reneges on campaign promises.
Lee Jae-myung takes reducing economic inequality as his core goal, emphasizing government-led social welfare and investment in economic growth. He promised to gradually increase AI research and development budgets starting from the 2025 supplementary budget. Additionally, he supports providing vouchers to local businesses and enhancing soft power through strengthening content industries (such as K-pop and TV dramas).
In his previously released campaign platform, Lee Jae-myung emphasized "practical diplomacy." His goal is to ease tensions with North Korea, advocate for the restoration of military hotlines and promote denuclearization, while maintaining the ROK-US alliance and security cooperation with Japan. He also stated that China is an important trade partner for South Korea and has an impact on the security of the Korean Peninsula, and he will stabilize relations with China.
AP also noted that in terms of foreign policy, Lee Jae-myung has not made any controversial statements recently but has firmly stated his intention to conduct "practical diplomacy." He emphasized that the ROK-US alliance is the foundation of South Korea's foreign policy and promised to consolidate the trilateral partnership between South Korea, the United States, and Japan. This stance does not differ much from that of South Korea's conservatives.
Local time on the 4th, Seoul, South Korea, supporters of the Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung wave the national flag and wait for the final results of the presidential election. Visual China
When Yoon Suk-yeol launched the "state of emergency" in December last year, Kim Moon-hwan was serving as Minister of Employment and Labor of South Korea. On April 8, Kim Moon-hwan resigned from his position and joined the People's Power Party. On April 9, he announced his candidacy for the presidency and officially obtained the party nomination through the preliminary election on May 3.
Kim Moon-hwan advocates creating a business-friendly environment by relaxing regulations and offering tax incentives to the middle class. He plans to expand nuclear power to reduce corporate electricity costs and meet the demands of the AI sector.
In terms of foreign policy, Kim Moon-hwan supports Yoon Suk-yeol's tough policy toward North Korea, advocating preemptive strikes, deploying American tactical nuclear weapons, and achieving nuclear armament through nuclear fuel reprocessing. In addition, he adheres to a traditional conservative security perspective, seeking peace through alliance reinforcement and strength.
There are similarities in their attitudes toward the US, but significant differences in their attitudes toward China.
Previously, Lee Jae-myung has repeatedly shown a moderate attitude toward China. On May 26, Lee Jae-myung posted that the ROK-US alliance remains the foundation of his foreign policy, but he will also actively repair relations with China. Lee Jae-myung wrote that he believes China is an important trading partner for South Korea and has a significant impact on the security of the Korean Peninsula. He aims to repair and stabilize the deteriorating ROK-China relations worsened by the previous government's missteps.
Professor Zhan Debin, director of the Center for Korean Peninsula Studies at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, told the Guancha Observer that overall, Lee Jae-myung's policies are more pragmatic, while Kim Moon-hwan's policies are more ideological, emphasizing "camp diplomacy."
In this framework, although Lee Jae-myung also emphasizes that the ROK-US alliance is the foundation of South Korea's foreign policy, he also stresses a balanced foreign policy and values the ROK-China relationship. By comparison, Kim Moon-hwan places greater emphasis on the ROK-US relationship, considering the importance of the ROK-China relationship to be low. Previously, Kim Moon-hwan even once brought up in television debates that "China used to be an enemy of Korea." His ideology makes it difficult for Sino-Korean relations to develop.
Niu Xiaoping, a columnist for the Guancha Observer and assistant researcher at the Northeast Asia Research Center of the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Guancha Observer that before Yoon Suk-yeol's "state of emergency," the conservative government openly accused China of espionage and even used it as a reason for the "state of emergency." Later, conservatives continued to hype up the "Chinese intervention in elections" issue, distorting the Chinese government service hotline "12345" as the "election server password," implying that Chinese hackers controlled the South Korean voting system and questioned the fairness of the election. Rarely has the China issue been as "important" as it was in this election.
She pointed out that conservative forces forged the China issue into a weapon of political struggle, attacking Lee Jae-myung using the negative perceptions of China among South Korean citizens. For example, the People's Power Party distorted Lee Jae-myung's pragmatic stance of not choosing sides between the US and China as "surrendering to China"; regarding Lee Jae-myung's statement that he would not intervene in the Taiwan issue and expressed "thank you" to both mainland China and Taiwan, Kim Moon-hwan and Lee Jun-sik jointly launched an offensive, trying to label him as "pro-Chinese" or even "traitorous."
Xiaoling Wang, deputy researcher at the Institute of Asia-Pacific and Global Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Guancha Observer that the conservative camp, having lost public support due to the "state of emergency" incident, sees "anti-China" as an important tool for political competition. However, the mainstream of South Korean society clearly understands that the far-right conservatives are deliberately hyping up negative public opinion about China. Despite this, the spread and politicization of anti-China sentiment still warrant attention and reflection.
From left to right are Lee Jae-myung, Kim Moon-hwan, and Lee Jun-sik. Yonhap News Agency
New president, facing numerous challenges
The New York Times pointed out that this election was widely seen as a nationwide referendum on Yoon Suk-yeol's sudden implementation of the "state of emergency." South Korea has experienced six months of political turmoil, with the economy陷入困境, and voters need to elect a leader they believe can navigate external forces in global power competition.
In December last year, the won fell to its lowest level in years, and US President imposed tariffs on South Korean exports of cars and steel, causing a stock market crash domestically and impacting South Korea's economy. Government data showed that the South Korean economy contracted in the first quarter of this year. In addition, voters also expect the new president to address the impact of domestic social issues. The most pressing task is to mitigate the effects of the "state of emergency" and unite a divided nation.
The Hankyoreh Daily quoted sources as saying that Lee Jae-myung is scheduled to speak with US President Trump on the 4th. This will be his first diplomatic activity on the day of his inauguration. It is expected that the focus of this meeting will be on tariff negotiations between South Korea and the United States.
The report introduced that generally, the first phone call between a newly elected president and leaders of other countries has a strong ceremonial nature. However, given Trump's style of operation, Lee Jae-myung convened a working group meeting on the afternoon of the 2nd to study various response scenarios.
Zhan Debin pointed out that after Yoon Suk-yeol's failed "state of emergency," the process of impeachment and counter-impeachment in South Korea was actually a process of striving for the normalization of the country. The assumption of office by the new president marks a new beginning for South Korea, but he still faces issues such as handling internal chaos and purification. Therefore, the normalization of the country is far from over. After Lee Jae-myung's victory, due to the change of the ruling coalition, South Korea may face greater changes in domestic and foreign affairs.
Niu Xiaoping believed that history has already written the script: after Park Geun-hye's downfall, Moon Jae-in vowed to "end hatred," but ultimately fell into the vortex of "settling old scores"; when Yoon Suk-yeol took office, he raised the banner of "uniting to save the country," but within two years, he tore apart society with the "state of emergency." The tragic cycle of South Korean politics is exactly what Tocqueville predicted in his democratic paradox - "the chains of the tyranny of the majority are often forged in the name of the people."
The new government's assumption of office may temporarily press pause on the political situation in South Korea, but it urgently needs institutional innovation (constitutional amendments for the presidential system, etc.) to prevent the recurrence of the "revenge cycle," and cultural reconstruction (national dialogue, de-ideologization) to repair trust. Otherwise, this will only be a false calm before the storm returns.
Who is South Korean President-elect Lee Jae-myung?
Lee Jae-myung was born in 1963 in a poor family in Andong City. Among seven children, he was the fifth. During his childhood, due to financial difficulties at home, Lee Jae-myung once dropped out of school and worked as a child laborer in a factory. During this time, he suffered a serious injury to his arm, leaving him disabled.
However, Lee Jae-myung did not choose to succumb to reality; later, he signed up for various courses and continuously took exams, eventually obtaining a junior high school diploma, a high school diploma, receiving a scholarship, and entering the Department of Law at Central University of Korea, eventually becoming a labor rights lawyer.
According to Yonhap News Agency, in 2005, Lee Jae-myung joined the progressive Open National Party (the predecessor of the Democratic Party), and in 2010, he was elected mayor of Seongnam City. He participated in the 2017 South Korean presidential election, competing for the Democratic Party candidate seat with Moon Jae-in, and formed opposition relationships with members supporting Moon Jae-in, but ultimately lost.
In 2018, Lee Jae-myung resigned as mayor of Seongnam City and was elected governor of Gyeonggi Province. In March 2022, Lee Jae-myung represented the Democratic Party in the presidential election and narrowly lost to Yoon Suk-yeol by less than 1%. In June of the same year, he successfully became a member of parliament through a by-election and was elected chairman of the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, two months later.
On August 31, 2023, Lee Jae-myung announced an indefinite hunger strike and presented three demands to the then Yoon Suk-yeol government: apologize for actions that destroyed people's livelihoods and democracy; oppose Japan's nuclear wastewater discharge; and thoroughly reshuffle the cabinet. On September 18, Lee Jae-myung was hospitalized due to worsening health conditions. After persisting for 24 days, Lee Jae-myung stopped his hunger strike on September 23.
On January 2, 2024, Lee Jae-myung was attacked during an inspection tour of the new airport site in Jageumdo, Busan. He sustained a neck injury and underwent surgery and hospitalization.
Currently, Lee Jae-myung still faces multiple legal charges. On May 7, the Seoul High Court accepted Lee Jae-myung's application to delay the first trial of his case involving violations of the Public Official Election Act until June 18 after the election. On the same day, the court also decided to postpone the trials of the Daejang-dong/Wellets新城 construction scandal, the Baeksandong development corruption case, and the Seongnam Football Club sponsorship case until June 24. This time, the court again decided to postpone the second trial of Lee Jae-myung's case involving instigating perjury, and the trial schedule will be announced at a later date.
Local time on January 2, 2024, Busan, South Korea, Lee Jae-myung was attacked during an event. IC Photo
How is the South Korean president elected?
The New York Times reported that South Korea implements a direct election system, and the candidate with the most votes wins a five-year term without re-election.
The political landscape of South Korea is similar to that of the United States, basically practicing a two-party system. The Democratic Party belongs to the center-left, while the People's Power Party belongs to the right-wing. However, some smaller parties still hold a place on the ballot.
Originally, seven candidates registered to run in this election, but two of them announced their withdrawal, resulting in five candidates participating in the race. These five candidates are: Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, Kim Moon-hwan of the People's Power Party, Lee Jun-sik of the Reform New Party, Kwak In-britain of the Democratic Labor Party, and Song Jin-ho, an independent candidate. Among them, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and Kim Moon-hwan of the People's Power Party are considered the most likely to win.
According to the last pre-election poll results released by the South Korean polling agency "True Measurement" on May 28, Lee Jae-myung led with 49.2% of the vote, followed by Kim Moon-hwan with 36.8% and Lee Jun-sik with 10.3%.
Since former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol launched the "state of emergency" on December 3, 2024, South Korea's political scene has been in constant turmoil. Yoon Suk-yeol himself was impeached and removed from office afterward, and several acting presidents have failed to gain public support. According to Article 41 of the South Korean Electoral Law, when there is a vacancy in the presidency and a special election is held, the new president's term begins immediately after the counting is completed and the Central Election Management Committee votes to approve the resolution determining the elected president. Therefore, there is no transition period with the previous Yoon Suk-yeol government.
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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7511865457285104168/
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