South Korea just handed Lee Jae-myung a dramatic political comeback—and a mountain of problems to solve.
Six months after a failed martial law attempt cost former President Yoon Suk Yeol his job and legacy.
Lee emerged victorious in a snap election.
It felt more like a referendum on democracy than a typical vote.
His rival, Kim Moon-soo, a Yoon loyalist, conceded as the country’s anger over political chaos boiled over.
“This was less about Lee, more about rejecting authoritarianism,” analyst Park Sung-min told the BBC.
Voters, he said, “put democracy above all else.” But Lee’s win is only the beginning.
What Lies Ahead?
He must now lead a deeply divided nation and face a postponed Supreme Court trial that could still haunt his presidency.
He’ll also need to negotiate a tricky trade deal with Donald Trump—yes, that Trump—to soften the blow of tariffs from South Korea’s closest ally.
At home, bitter partisanship still lingers, with Yoon’s base fired up and far from quiet.
Abroad, economic and security pressures are mounting.
Lee, a former human rights lawyer with a gritty life story and controversial record, knows the road ahead won’t be smooth.
Still, as he put it, “I will do my utmost… so as not to disappoint the expectations of our people.”
