Lee Jae-myung pledges to integrate polarized nation

Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea raises his arms before delivering an acceptance speech at Yeouido in Seoul, early Wednesday, after broadcasters declared he would win the presidential election held the previous day. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) pledged early Wednesday to integrate the polarized nation in his acceptance speech delivered after the presidential election held Tuesday.

Broadcasters late Tuesday declared Lee would win the election, defeating Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP).

Lee pointed out that his victory reinforces that the country belongs to the people, referring to voters' sentiment against the conservative People Power Party based on former President Yoon Suk Yeol's abrupt declaration of martial law in December.

"We will overcome the insurrection and make sure that a military coup that threatens the people will never again take place," Lee said in his speech in Seoul's Yeouido.

He stated that his next priority will be to boost the economy and improve the people's livelihoods, at a time Korea faces increasing uncertainty due to U.S.-imposed tariffs.

Lee also said his administration would ensure deterrence against North Korea with strong military capabilities, but emphasized peaceful relations over conflict. This would be a shift from the Yoon administration, throughout which relations with Pyongyang remained hostile.

"With the certainty that achieving peace, which eliminates the need to fight, is true security, we will seek inter-Korean talks and find a path toward co-existence and co-prosperity," he said.

With ballots all counted, Lee gained 49.42 percent of the votes, compared to Kim's 41.15 percent and minor conservative Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok at 8.34 percent.

The National Election Commission (NEC) reported that the final voter turnout reached 79.4 percent. This figure includes the two-day early voting period last Thursday and Friday, in which 34.74 percent of eligible voters participated, as well as votes cast overseas, at sea and by mail. The final turnout was 2.3 percentage points higher than 77.1 percent recorded during the previous presidential election in 2022.

Earlier, a joint exit poll conducted by major broadcasters — KBS, MBC and SBS — showed Lee securing 51.7 percent of the vote, well above Kim’s 39.3 percent. Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative Reform Party gained 7.7 percent.

The exit poll surveyed approximately 100,000 voters who had cast their ballots at 325 polling stations nationwide on Election Day. To account for trends in early voting, a separate phone survey of 11,500 voters was also conducted and factored into the results.

Neighbors of the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung cheer as they watch exit poll results on their phones at the apartment complex in Incheon where he lives, Tuesday. Yonhap

According to the exit poll results, Lee Jae-myung ranked first in most regions among the 17 major cities and provinces, except four regions with strong conservative strongholds — Busan, Daegu and North and South Gyeongsang provinces.

By age group, the DPK candidate led among voters in their late teens, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, while Kim was ahead among voters in their 60s, 70s and older.

In terms of gender, Lee received 48.3 percent of the male vote, followed by Kim at 39.4 percent and Lee Jun-seok at 11.1 percent. Among women, he secured 55.1 percent of the votes, followed by Kim at 39.2 percent and Lee Jun-seok at 4.3 percent.

As his victory became clear, Lee pledged to fully embrace “the great responsibility and duty” entrusted to him, vowing to meet the expectations of the public.

"With the ballot counting still underway, it may be a bit too early to make a definitive statement. But if the current results hold, I offer my deepest respect to the people for their remarkable decision," Lee told reporters Tuesday evening as he left his residence in Incheon, en route to his party’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul.

Campaign officials of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea celebrate at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday, after an exit poll showed a lead for the party's candidate Lee Jae-myung in the presidential election. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Lee’s election camp cheered as the exit poll results were announced.

DPK floor leader Park Chan-dae said the poll “reflects a thunderous verdict by the sovereign people against a regime of rebellion," referring to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration.

“While these are still projections, we will remain vigilant until the final result is confirmed and closely observe what the people’s judgment and decision truly are," Park said during an interview with a local media outlet shortly after the exit poll results were announced.

When asked what he believed to be the decisive factor should the party ultimately win the presidency, Park responded, “First and foremost, it would be that the people cast a judgment vote against the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and the forces of insurrection.”

Park added that if Lee is confirmed as the winner in line with the exit poll results, the DPK will do its utmost alongside him to uphold the solemn mandate of the people.

Key campaign officials from the People Power Party remain silent at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday, as they watch the exit poll results which showed its candidate Kim Moon-soo was falling behind Democratic Party of Korea's Lee Jae-myung. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Kim of the PPP gave a brief speech early Wednesday, thanking his party members and supporters. He conceded defeat, saying he "accepts the people's decision."

The conservative party's co-campaign chair Na Kyung-won called the outcome "deeply disappointing," adding that they expected the race to be within the margin of error or even slightly in the PPP's favor.

“It’s being received with considerable shock,” she said. “Due to some internal confusion within the party, we got a late start in the campaign, and it’s unfortunate that several late-breaking revelations about the true nature of candidate Lee Jae-myung weren’t fully conveyed to the public.”

Voters line up at a polling station set up in an elementary school in Daegu, Tuesday. Yonhap

The snap election followed the impeachment of Yoon, who stunned the nation by declaring martial law abruptly in early December amid deepening clashes with opposition parties. The move sent shockwaves through the public and plunged the country into political uncertainty.

The resulting power vacuum and rising public discontent fueled demands for change, setting the stage for what many see as a major political realignment. That shift ultimately favored the DPK's Lee, who is poised to claim the presidency despite ongoing criminal investigations.

Once confirmed by the NEC early Wednesday morning, the new president is expected to assume office immediately, with a formal inauguration ceremony set for later on in the morning.

Preparations for the new president's inauguration ceremony are in full swing at a hall of the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

The inauguration ceremony is expected to be held at the Rotunda Hall of the National Assembly, where preparation work such as stage setting started on Tuesday. The exact time of the ceremony has not been announced yet, but it has been forecast to be held around 11 a.m.

At the time of the 2017 presidential snap election following former President Park Geun-hye’s ouster, Moon Jae-in’s inauguration was modest, focusing on oath-taking and an address. Due to time constraints and difficulty of inviting foreign dignitaries, only about 300 guests were at the venue at the time. Lee’s inauguration ceremony is expected to follow suit.

The new leader will have to assume office without a transition period, which is usually 60 days long after a normal presidential election. To fill the monthslong leadership vacuum, Lee is expected to announce major Cabinet members such as the prime minister as early as Wednesday and hasten personnel vetting and appointments.

Lee is also projected to start working at the current presidential office in central Seoul’s Yongsan District, as there is no other place for now where security is guaranteed.

This presidential election came six months after Yoon’s martial law fiasco. He imposed martial law, saying the nation was in a state of emergency due to the opposition bloc’s continuous attempts to impeach ranking government officials, and that he needed to investigate allegations of election fraud in previous elections.

But the National Assembly voted to lift the decree just hours after, and later voted to impeach him. The Constitutional Court ruled to uphold the Assembly’s impeachment motion and oust him on April 4.