Who is Lee Jae-myung? What we know about the South Korea opposition leader
The outcome of ongoing trials against the nation’s key opposition leader will likely decide the future of Korean democracy.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party, has been at the center of political turmoil and legal battles. From a suspended prison sentence to accusations of violating election laws, Lee’s journey in South Korean politics has been marked by controversy and resilience.
A former child factory worker who overcame a challenging upbringing, Lee has leveraged his rags-to-riches story to rise to political stardom. He served as mayor of Seongnam from 2010 to 2018 before advancing to become governor of Gyeonggi province and later a member of parliament.
Lee’s political career reached a peak when he narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election to conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol.
Despite this setback, he continues to be a formidable force in South Korean politics, leading his party to a significant victory in the April 2024 parliamentary elections, with a large majority of 23 seats, despite being stabbed in the neck in the run-up.
His party is set against the presidency of Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law in the face of all political parties. They overwhelmingly voted against Yoon’s unilateral martial law decision.
Legal battles
However, Lee’s political ascent has been marred by legal troubles. In November 2024, he was convicted of violating election law and sentenced to a one-year suspended prison term. The court found him guilty of making false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign, particularly regarding his involvement in controversial development projects during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam.
Under South Korean law, he would lose his legislative seat and be barred from running in elections for five He faces additional trials related to various criminal allegations, including bribery and corruption charges.
“There are still two more courts left in the real world, and the courts of public opinion and history are eternal,” he said.
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