The South Korean presidential election will come to an end today. After months of chaos, the South Korean people have finally got a "pill for peace of mind" that can take charge. Former presidents have come out in full force. Although Lee Jae-myung only received one vote, he is bound to win this time.

The South Korean presidential election begins

The highly anticipated South Korean presidential election kicked off at 6 a.m. on June 3rd in Korea time. Voting will last for 14 hours and end at 8 p.m. Subsequently, the counting work will also begin quickly. If everything goes smoothly, the president-elect may be announced as early as 4 a.m. After half a year of chaos, the South Korean people are finally about to usher in a "new look".

Currently, a total of five candidates are participating in this election, but Lee Jae-myung, Kim Won-soo, and Lee Jun-seok have formed a "triangular situation". While these three were busy campaigning, several former presidents of South Korea also made their moves, speaking out in support of their preferred candidates. Although they have left office, the influence of these "former presidents" is extraordinary and may affect the outcome of the election.

Kim Won-soo and Lee Myung-bak

Notably, Kim Won-soo has taken the lead, securing the support of three former presidents, while Lee Jae-myung only received one vote. Former President Lee Myung-bak, after having lunch with Kim Won-soo, praised him highly and then turned the conversation to earnestly advise him to meet Trump immediately upon taking office and strengthen the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

In addition, former President Park Geun-hye also made a public appearance to strongly support Kim Won-soo, calling on everyone not to dwell on the past, and emphasizing that the most important thing now is to win the election. Kim Won-soo also promised that if elected, he would seek to "clear" the reputation of Park Geun-hye. To many outsiders, these statements seemed like a political deal.

Kim Won-soo and Park Geun-hye

Meanwhile, Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been "expelled from the party", publicly expressed his support for his "party member" Kim Won-soo and appeared with his wife to cast their votes. However, the National Power Party did not buy into Yoon's statement, publicly stating that Yoon should distance himself from the National Power Party.

Analysts believe that Kim Won-soo fears that Yoon's negative influence could disrupt the election. Yoon's statement has also become a target for attacks by political parties. Lee Jun-seok openly stated that if Kim Won-soo cannot reject Yoon's support, it would mean they are colluding with each other, implicating the entire National Power Party.

Despite the mixed reactions, Kim Won-soo still managed to secure the backing of three former presidents. Meanwhile, Lee Jae-myung only met with former President Moon Jae-in, who did not explicitly express support for Lee Jae-myung but urged voters to recognize the importance of this election, implying that only the right person can thoroughly judge the masterminds behind this "internal turmoil," hinting at opposition to Kim Won-soo's National Power Party.

Lee Jae-myung and his wife casting their votes

It is worth noting that the two also paid respects to the late former president Roh Moo-hyun. Analysts believe that Lee Jae-myung may be attempting to win over domestic and party supporters of "Moon" and "Roh." However, despite only receiving one vote, Lee Jae-myung is almost certain to win. Many professionals have stated that Lee Jae-myung's victory is "no doubt."

The final poll results before the start of voting showed that Lee Jae-myung was far ahead. After the chaos under Yoon's administration, the South Korean people desperately hope for a "different" president to change the country's domestic and foreign policies. People are almost certain that Lee Jae-myung will be elected, more concerned about whether he can achieve a decisive victory.

If Lee Jae-myung wins, relations between China and South Korea, Japan and South Korea, and the United States and South Korea will all change. This election in South Korea not only concerns the future of more than 50 million South Korean citizens but may also alter the entire East Asian landscape. We might look forward to a new phase in South Korea, and lasting peace in East Asia.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7511594474725524006/

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