South Korea opposition leader Lee Jae-myung announces bid for presidency

Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party, takes a look around at Gounsa temple devastated by a wildfire in Uiseong, South Korea recently. File photo
| Photo Credit: Reuters

South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who is the front-runner in opinion polls to be the country’s next leader, declared his bid for the presidency on Thursday (April 10, 2025).

The presidential election will be held on June 3, after former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, stemming from a December martial law declaration, was upheld on April

Mr. Lee, 61, lost by the slimmest margin in the country’s history when he ran against Mr. Yoon in the 2022 presidential election.

But last year, he led his liberal Democratic Party to a landslide victory in a parliamentary election, and enjoys strong support from liberal voters.

On Wednesday (April 9), Mr. Lee stepped down as leader of the main opposition party, preparing to switch gears to focus on his election campaign.

A Gallup poll announced on April 4 put Mr. Lee as the favourite to become the next president with 34% support, versus 9% for the top conservative contender, 73-year-old former labour minister Kim Moon-soo.

The conservatives have a wide-open presidential field. The ruling People Power Party plans to confirm its candidate through a primary in May.