Political Whirlwind Propels Lee Jae-myung to South Korean Presidential Frontrunner

The tumultuous political landscape of South Korea has unexpectedly cleared the path for Lee Jae-myung transforming him into the leading contender for the upcoming presidential election on June 3. This dramatic turn of events follows a constitutional crisis that engulfed the nation in December 2024, altering the trajectory of Lee’s previously challenging political career.
Before December 3, 2024, Lee, the former opposition leader, faced significant hurdles. A series of ongoing legal cases, including investigations into corruption and allegations of abusing power, threatened to derail his second presidential bid. However, the abortive attempt by former President Yoon Suk Yeol to invoke martial law that night ignited a chain of events that has seemingly paved the way for Lee’s resurgence.
This represents a remarkable reversal of fortune for the 61-year-old, who at the time of Yoon’s martial law declaration, stood convicted of making false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign. While these charges continue to loom, they are but one facet of a career consistently marked by controversy.
The Rise of an Outsider
Lee Jae-myung’s journey, characterized by a rags-to-riches origin story and a bullish political style, has made him a divisive figure in South Korea. Dr. Lee Jun-han, a professor of political science and international studies at Incheon National University, observes, “Lee Jae-myung’s life has been full of ups and downs, and he often takes actions that stir controversy.” These actions, Dr. Lee notes, often involve pushing for progressive reforms—such as a pledge during his 2022 campaign to implement a universal basic income scheme—that challenge the established power structure. “Because of this, some people strongly support him, while others distrust or dislike him,” Dr. Lee explains. “He is a highly controversial and unconventional figure – very much an outsider who has made a name for himself in a way that doesn’t fit traditional Democratic Party norms.”
Born in 1963 in a mountain village, Lee’s childhood was, as he described in a recent memoir, “miserable.” Due to his family’s difficult circumstances, he skipped middle school to enter the workforce illegally. As a young factory worker, he endured two industrial accidents, resulting in permanent injuries to his fingers and arm. Despite these challenges, Lee later gained admission to high school and university, eventually studying law on a full scholarship and passing the Bar Examination in 1986. After nearly two decades as a human rights lawyer, he entered politics in 2005, joining the Uri Party, a predecessor of the Democratic Party of Korea.
His humble beginnings have resonated with working-class voters and those who feel disenfranchised by the political elite. Lee served as mayor of Seongnam from 2010, implementing various free welfare policies, and in 2018 became governor of Gyeonggi Province. He earned praise for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, notably clashing with the central government over his insistence on providing universal relief grants to all provincial residents.
In October 2021, Lee became the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the first time, narrowly losing the election by 0.76 percentage points. Less than a year later, in August 2022, he was elected as the party’s leader. Dr. Lee Jun-han notes that after his governorship, Lee moderated his “fire-and-brimstone approach,” opting for a more cautious stance to further his presidential ambitions. “Still, on certain issues – like addressing past wrongs [during the Japanese colonial era], welfare and corruption – he has built a loyal and passionate support base by taking a firm and uncompromising stance,” Dr. Lee adds. This uncompromising nature, however, has drawn criticism from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), who often view him as aggressive.
Lee’s career has also been marked by personal controversies, including a 2004 drink-driving incident, family disputes in the late 2010s, and allegations of an extramarital affair in 2018. While some nations may tolerate such issues, South Korea, with its relatively conservative expectations of public figures, has historically been less forgiving.
Enduring Legal Battles and an Assassination Attempt
More recently, Lee’s political aspirations have been burdened by pressing legal challenges. One major case involves high-profile charges of corruption, bribery, and breach of trust related to a 2023 land development project. Another critical battle centers on allegations that Lee knowingly made a false statement during a December 2021 presidential debate, denying personal knowledge of Kim Moon-ki, a key figure in a corruption-ridden land development scandal who had recently died by suicide. Prosecutors allege this claim violated the Public Official Election Act. In November 2024, Lee was convicted and received a one-year suspended prison sentence, a ruling later overturned by an appeals court, but subsequently reinstated by South Korea’s Supreme Court. The case is still awaiting a final verdict.
Beyond legal threats, Lee faced a more direct danger in January 2024, when he was stabbed in the neck by a man seeking an autograph outside a planned airport construction site in Busan. Although the injury to his jugular vein required extensive surgery, it was not critical. Following the attack, Lee now campaigns behind bulletproof glass, wears a bulletproof vest, and is surrounded by agents carrying ballistic briefcases. The assailant, who sought to prevent Lee from becoming president, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The attack highlighted deepening political polarization in South Korea, manifested in the intense rivalry between Lee and Yoon, and increasingly extreme online discourse. A December 2023 survey by Hankyoreh found over 50% of respondents believed South Korea’s political divide was worsening. Critics argue that Lee, as Democratic Party leader, contributed to this by consistently blocking motions from Yoon’s government, effectively rendering him a “lame duck” president. This constant obstruction, along with repeated impeachment attempts against administration officials and opposition to his budget, exacerbated Yoon’s leadership struggles. Ultimately, this pressure led to the drastic measure of declaring martial law.
Opportunity in Crisis
Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3, ostensibly to eliminate “anti-state forces” and North Korea sympathizers, became the catalyst for Lee’s ascent. Within hours of the declaration, Lee leveraged a livestream broadcast to urge the public to protest outside the National Assembly. Thousands responded, clashing with police and blocking military units as opposition lawmakers, including Lee, rushed into the assembly building, climbing over fences to pass a resolution to lift martial law.
The Democratic Party subsequently decided to impeach President Yoon, a decision unanimously upheld by South Korea’s Constitutional Court on April 4, 2025. This set Lee on the path to a full-fledged election bid. He announced his resignation as Democratic Party leader on April 9 ahead of his presidential run, and on April 27, he was overwhelmingly selected as the general candidate in the Democratic Party presidential primary.
Yoon’s failed martial law attempt plunged South Korea into a political maelstrom, ending his career and leaving his People Power Party in disarray. Among the few who have managed to capitalize on this chaos, none have benefited more than Lee Jae-myung.
Now, the controversial presidential candidate awaits the final verdict on his political future—not only from the South Korean electorate but also from its courts. If his guilty ruling is ultimately confirmed, Lee would likely lose his seat in the National Assembly, barring him from running for president for five years. However, with the courts having approved Lee’s request to postpone his legal hearings until after the election, a new possibility emerges: that Lee, currently the electoral favorite, could be convicted after winning the presidency. This scenario suggests that South Korea, having just navigated months of political turmoil, may face further leadership dramas.