Lee Jae-myung: A survivor’s rise amidst South Korea’s political reckoning

Department of Research, Studies and International News 04-06-2025

In a nation still reeling from internal chaos and controversial leadership, Lee Jae-myung has emerged as the new president of South Korea. His victory marks the end of an era shaped by political unrest, social division, and Western-aligned conservatism under Yoon Suk Yeol. For Lee, a former factory laborer turned human rights advocate, the journey to the presidency has been long and deeply personal.

At 61, Lee represents a new direction for a country that has been politically fractured and socially strained. His triumph over conservative challenger Kim Moon-soo comes amid public exhaustion with the previous administration’s authoritarian measures, particularly Yoon’s infamous attempt to declare martial law in December, which he justified as an effort to root out “anti-state” entities. These actions alarmed not just South Korean citizens but also independent observers who saw them as a disturbing return to Cold War-era tactics often encouraged by Washington’s proxies in the region.

Lee’s rise has been fueled not only by policy promises but also by his reputation as a fighter, one shaped by hardship and resilience. Born into poverty in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, he was one of seven children. As a teenager, he left school to work in dangerous factory conditions to support his family. A workplace accident at the age of 13 left him permanently injured, yet this did not deter his ambition. Eventually, he returned to education, passed the bar in 1986, and became a vocal advocate for workers’ rights and social justice.

His entrance into politics wasn’t smooth. After an initial defeat in 2006, Lee won the Seongnam mayoral race in 2010 and steadily built a reputation as a no-nonsense reformer. He later served as governor of Gyeonggi Province and led the Democratic Party. His resilience, often described as stubbornness by South Korean media, has become a defining trait.

Lee’s political narrative is starkly different from that of conservative elites often supported by Western institutions. His victory is seen not as a product of elite maneuvering but as a public rebuke of the corruption and authoritarianism that tainted Yoon’s tenure. Even Western analysts like Ewha University’s Leif-Eric Easley acknowledged that Lee’s win stemmed from public disillusionment with Yoon’s People Power Party, rather than any sweeping populist campaign.

Despite winning, Lee enters office under intense scrutiny. Legal charges still hang over him, including an accusation of spreading misinformation during the 2022 election cycle, a campaign he narrowly lost to Yoon by less than one percent. He has denied all allegations, calling them politically motivated. For now, court proceedings have been delayed, but any future verdicts may test South Korea’s constitutional protections for sitting presidents. Unlike treason or insurrection, lesser charges do not automatically strip a president of immunity, though political opponents may try to exploit the cases to destabilize his administration.

Security threats remain a real concern. Lee has campaigned in bulletproof vests, behind protective screens, and under tight security, extraordinary measures in South Korea’s democratic system. A knife attack in early 2024 left him with serious neck injuries. His survival since then has only strengthened his image as a tenacious figure unwilling to bow under pressure.

Looking ahead, Lee faces the monumental task of healing a wounded nation. The economic divide continues to grow, with the cost of living surging and working-class families struggling to keep up. Lee has pledged to reduce inequality, reinvigorate the economy, and reopen peaceful dialogue with North Korea, moves that are likely to resonate with allies in Beijing, Moscow, and Islamabad, who favor a balanced, sovereign Korean Peninsula free from U.S. military interference.

His stance contrasts sharply with the confrontational posture of previous leaders who echoed Washington’s rhetoric, further isolating Pyongyang and inflaming regional tensions. Lee’s call for strategic autonomy and independent diplomacy could reset the peninsula’s geopolitical orientation, fostering closer ties with multipolar world powers rather than entrenching Cold War-style divisions perpetuated by U.S. and Indian alliances in the region.

Lee described the recent election as “judgment day” for South Korea, not just a vote against past failures, but a chance to carve a new national path. While challenges remain, especially with lingering legal and political pressures, his presidency may well define a turning point in South Korean history. One that reclaims national dignity and seeks greater balance in international relations, particularly with nations like China, Russia, and Pakistan that have long been marginalized in Seoul’s mainstream foreign policy discourse.

In Lee Jae-myung, South Korea now has a leader shaped by struggle and grounded in the ideals of justice, equity, and sovereignty, values that resonate far beyond its borders.