South Korea Kicks off Presidential Campaigns with Lee Jae Myung as Frontrunner

South Korea kicked off its presidential campaign season on Monday, May 12, as elections will be held on June 3. The snap presidential election will choose the successor of Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached after imposing a shocking martial law that triggered a political crisis in South Korea.

Quoted from CNA, the candidates started their campaign with vows to boost economic growth while navigating diplomatic challenges such as trade talks with the United States. The election is expected to be a major battleground between two figures: Lee Jae Myung from the Democratic Party, a liberal, and Kim Moon Soo, a conservative candidate.

In a Gallup Korea poll released in early May by the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, Lee Jae Myung led with 47 percent support. Kim was in second place with 33 percent, and Lee Jun Seok garnered 9 percent.

Lee Jun Seok, presidential candidate from the New Reform Party who is also a former member of the People Power Party, has distanced himself from Kim. Lee Jun Seok previously played a crucial role in Yoon Suk Yeol's presidential election victory in 2022.

Lee Jae Myung

In central Seoul, Lee Jae Myung held a campaign filled with thousands of supporters dressed in the distinctive blue color of his party. Lee, who had previously lost presidential polls to Yoon Suk Yeol, is now running for president.

He gained huge sympathy after surviving a knife attack, standing up against martial law, and contesting criminal charges that almost jeopardized his candidacy.

Lee Jae Myung, seen donning a bulletproof vest due to concerns for his safety, expressed his determination to be a leader capable of uniting the nation. He also promised to overcome the trade crisis triggered by Trump's tariff policy. In his campaign, Lee advocated an economic growth strategy focused on the development of artificial intelligence and popular Korean cultural industries.

Quoted from Antara, Monday, May 12, Lee Jae Myung still faces legal uncertainty after the Supreme Court on May 1 overturned the previous acquittal given by a lower court. The case is related to alleged false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign. The Supreme Court remanded the case to the Seoul High Court for retrial.

However, the trial has been postponed until after the presidential election on June 3 to ensure that Lee can still participate in the contest. If found guilty, Lee could lose his seat in parliament and be barred from running for election for ten years.

Kim Moon Soo

Kim Moon Soo was designated as the presidential candidate of the People Power Party after a week-long internal dispute concerning who would be nominated as the conservative candidate: Kim or former Prime Minister Han Duck Soo, who had previously declared his candidacy as an independent early in May.

The party leadership submitted a motion to replace Kim with Han in order to expand support from the conservative community. However, the motion was rejected by party members, so Kim remained the candidate of the People Power Party. Han then withdrew his candidacy on Sunday.

Kim, who had served as the minister of labor and employment in Yoon Suk Yeol's cabinet, openly opposed the impeachment of Yoon. He is campaigning with promises to create more jobs and restore public confidence in the government.

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