South Korea’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party, has officially selected Lee Jae-myung, its former leader, as its candidate for the upcoming presidential elections on June 3, 2025, following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Yoon was stripped of his powers after attempting to impose military rule on the country in December 2024, leading to armed soldiers being deployed to parliament.
Lee secured an overwhelming 89.7 percent of the vote during the nomination convention held in Goyang on April 27, 2025, and will represent the opposition against a candidate from Yoon’s conservative People Power Party (PPP).
The June 3 snap election was triggered by Yoon’s failed martial law decree, which lasted only six hours before being overturned by lawmakers.
The MPs defied the decree, even climbing over parliament’s fences to vote it down.
Lee, 60, spoke at the party convention, emphasizing his vision for the future: “The people have entrusted me with the mission to reclaim power by an overwhelming victory, to bring an end to the old era of insurrection and regression,” he said.
“I will repay your trust by building a truly new nation — a genuine Republic of Korea overflowing with hope and passion.”
Lee’s nomination comes after his narrow defeat to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, a loss by the smallest margin in South Korea’s history.
Recent polling shows Lee leading the field with 38 percent support, significantly ahead of other contenders, who are in the single digits.
The PPP is set to announce its candidate for the presidential race on Saturday, with former PPP chief Han Dong-hoon and ex-labor minister Kim Moon-soo among the leading figures vying for the nomination.
Despite his lead in the polls, Lee has been under investigation for various allegations, including bribery and campaign law violations, claims he has dismissed as politically motivated.
A Seoul court acquitted him of one election law violation charge in March, but he still faces several ongoing trials, including corruption charges.
