Lee Jae-myung, a former boy who worked in factories and later a civil rights lawyer, has become the first leftist president of South Korea. He is the first to succeed his conservative rival, Yoon Suk Yeol. His election comes amid significant political turmoil and personal challenges, as he has been embroiled in multiple legal battles while holding the reins of a government with a Democratic Party majority in the National Assembly.
Having been born with an arm deformity, Lee’s life wasn’t a childhood fairytale. His family was thrown into abject poverty. After that, he was forced to drop out of school and work in over a dozen different plants in Seongnam, a major suburb of Seoul. Despite these hardships, Lee persevered and eventually earned a place at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, benefitting from a full scholarship. This educational opportunity changed his life. Yet the law empowered him to become a human rights lawyer, where he gained acclaim for his tireless and fiery advocacy.
Lee’s political career soared once he mastered the art of the fiery street corner speech. He fearlessly condemned then-President Park Geun-hye as the protests spread in 2016, ultimately forcing her impeachment. His scarifying, populist rhetoric struck chords with citizens tired of corruption and the often incompetent failure of governance. It was his ability to connect with the public that shot him to the top of the Democratic Party. Consequently, the party currently enjoys an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly.
In his inaugural address, Lee emphasized the need for transformative policies, including a proposal for universal basic income for all citizens. He shared his vision for how this program could bring financial security and greater social equity to citizens throughout South Korea.
Lee’s presidency is not without controversy. He has previously called for detailed investigations into Yoon Suk Yeol and his inner circle over allegations of treason. Lee has supported election-fraud allegations used to delegitimize the liberal majority in the Memphis legislature.
Lee’s journey has not been without peril. Unsurprisingly, in a frustrating twist of fate, one of those men assaulted him. This assailant reportedly said he wanted to assassinate him to end his presidency. Even more alarmingly, such threats shed light on the extremely polarized political context in South Korea and the serious divisions that have unfolded under the past few administrations.
Compounding these challenges is Lee’s own legal situation. He now faces criminal charges in five distinct corruption-related and other trials. As president, he will find a number of legal protections. South Korea’s constitution protects sitting presidents from prosecution for all but the most serious offenses. In March, Lee was understandably jubilant over a major legal victory. The Seoul High Court found him guilty of election law violations in the 2022 race, reinstating his once suspended prison sentence.
Despite these challenges, Lee is determined to return South Korea’s intricately tied political sphere to a thriving democracy. He has time and again highlighted the importance of the U.S.-South Korea alliance as a bedrock of the nation’s foreign policy.
“Hopes and ordeals always come together. The roles of ordeals are not getting people to surrender, but testing how serious and desperate their hopes are.” – Lee Jae-myung
