South Korea’s liberal party candidate, Lee Jae-myung, is projected to win the country’s snap presidential election, according to exit polls released Tuesday by major broadcasters.
A joint exit poll by KBS, MBC, and SBS showed Lee leading with 51.7%, while his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo trailed with 39.3%.
Historically, these exit polls have closely matched final election results. A separate poll from JTBC gave Lee 50.6% and Kim 39.4%, while Channel A reported similar margins favoring Lee.
Approximately 78% of South Korea’s 44.39 million eligible voters participated in the election to select the leader of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, hoping to end six months of political upheaval sparked by the brief imposition of martial law under former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Yoon was impeached by parliament in December and removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, less than three years into his five-year term. This led to the snap election, which could significantly reshape South Korea’s political landscape and foreign policy direction.
Lee described the election as a “judgment day” against the previous Yoon administration and the conservative People Power Party, accusing them of allowing the martial law attempt by failing to oppose it strongly and attempting to preserve Yoon’s presidency.
The incoming president will face major challenges, including healing a deeply divided society exposed by the martial law crisis and managing an export-driven economy affected by unpredictable US protectionist policies, with the US being a key trade partner and security ally.
If the exit polls prove accurate, Lee is expected to be officially declared president by the National Election Commission on Wednesday, immediately assuming office and becoming commander-in-chief of the military.
