Seoul (TDI): After a chaotic six months since the shortest martial law of history was imposed by South Korea’s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, the country welcomes a peoples’ President. Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung, the newly-elected President, has the trust of working class Koreans, as he is a labor rights champion himself.
Lee won over 49% votes, which means more than 17 million voted for him. He will immediately take over as the 14th President, bypassing the sixty day transition period because political system in South Korea craves stability after three acting Presidents in just six months.
Yoon Suk Yeol, who won the 2022 election was impeached by the Parliament as he tried to impose a martial law (in December, 2024) which was strongly resisted and overturned, just after six hours. The impeachment was upheld by the Constitutional Court and he was removed from office in April.
The snap polls of June 3 were full of thrill and excitement. Here is a glimpse:
Lee Jae-myung,, second left, hurls a baseball during a presidential election campaign event at Jamsil sports complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025 Ahn Young-joon – APA boy waits for his mother casting her early vote for the June 3presidential election at a polling station in Soeul South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025 Ahn Young-joon – APSouth Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, and his wife Kim Hea Kyung, celebrate outside of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Supporters of Kim Moon Soo, presidential candidate for the People Power Party, attend a campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 2, 2025 Ahn Young-joon – APSupporters of South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, react outside the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)A man casts his vote with a baby for presidential election at a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 3, 2025.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol casts his vote for the presidential election at a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, June 3, 2025. (PHOTO / YONHAP VIA AP)A woman casts her vote for the presidential election at a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, June 3, 2025. (PHOTO / AP)Election posters featuring presidential candidates hanging on a railing in Seoul. South Koreans should know by early Wednesday who has won. Credit…Jun Michael Park for The New York Times
