Lee Jae-myung Wins South Korea's Snap Election After Martial Law Crisis

A Vote to End Six Months of Political Turmoil

Lee Jae-myung has won South Korea's snap presidential election, taking 49.3% of the vote against 41.3% for Kim Moon-soo with more than 99% of ballots counted, according to the National Election Commission. The result puts the opposition Democratic Party leader in charge of a country shaken by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law.

The election took place exactly six months after Yoon's declaration triggered mass protests, parliamentary resistance and a crisis that ultimately ended his presidency. Nearly 80% of South Korea's 44.39 million eligible voters cast ballots, the highest turnout since 1997.

Kim, the candidate of the People Power Party (PPP) and a former labor minister, conceded defeat. Lee addressed supporters outside parliament with a promise to bring people together and revive the economy, presenting his victory as an opportunity to move beyond months of upheaval.

Lee told supporters that the country's ability to recover rested on its people:

We can overcome this temporary difficulty with the combined strength of our people, who have great capabilities.

For Asia's fourth-largest economy, the result brings the prospect of a permanent president after a succession of acting leaders. Lee takes office with a mandate to restore democratic order, but also with deep political divisions, unresolved legal cases and difficult economic and diplomatic negotiations ahead.

How the Martial Law Attempt Led to an Election

Yoon declared martial law in December in an attempt to suppress political opposition. The move shocked South Korea and brought back memories of its past military dictatorships. Martial law places exceptional authority in the hands of the military, making its use a direct concern for people seeking to protect civilian democratic government.

Protesters took to the streets, while lawmakers led by Lee moved to block Yoon's order. Parliament's resistance and the public response stopped the attempted power grab. Yoon was impeached within days and subsequently removed from office by the Constitutional Court.

South Korea then passed through several acting leaders without a permanent president. The uncertainty deepened political polarization and made the snap election a decision about both the next government and the country's response to the crisis.

The main steps leading to Lee's victory were:

• December: Yoon declared martial law, prompting mass protests and resistance from parliament.
• Within days of the declaration: Yoon was impeached after lawmakers blocked his order.
• After impeachment: The Constitutional Court removed Yoon from office, and South Korea went through a succession of acting leaders.
• Six months after the martial law attempt: Voters chose Lee in the snap presidential election.

Why the Election Became a Judgment on Yoon

Lee's campaign drew strength from public anger over martial law. For many voters, the election became a referendum on Yoon's actions and on whether the PPP had done enough to separate itself from them.

The PPP nominated Kim, who had defended Yoon's actions. That choice alienated voters who considered the party complicit in the attempted seizure of power. Lee, meanwhile, presented himself as a defender of democratic government and promised changes to prevent another president from abusing emergency powers.

At a campaign rally, Lee urged voters to keep those associated with the martial law attempt from returning to power:

We must prevent the return of the rebellion forces,

Political consultant Park Sung-min described the result as an expression of anger at the crisis rather than simply an endorsement of Lee's policies:

The election became a vehicle for expressing outrage... [and] was a clear rebuke of the ruling party, which had been complicit in or directly responsible for the martial law measures,

Lee's victory also marked a personal comeback. He narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election. This time, the count placed him eight percentage points ahead of Kim, based on the National Election Commission's figures of 49.3% and 41.3%.

Voters Turned Anger Into Participation

Nearly four out of every five eligible voters participated, making the election South Korea's most heavily attended presidential vote since 1997. The turnout reflected the urgency many citizens attached to ending the political turmoil.

First-time voters and people who had previously stayed away from politics were drawn into the campaign. Some voters from rival parties also supported Lee, seeing him as the candidate best placed to restore stability.

Park Suh-jung, a 59-year-old voter attending her first political event, explained how martial law had changed her opinion of Lee:

I didn't like Lee before, but since martial law I now trust and depend on him,

Her account captured a central feature of the election: Lee gained support from people whose immediate concern was protecting democratic government, even when they had not previously backed him. His challenge now is to turn that support into confidence in his presidency.

A Campaign Conducted Under Heavy Security

Lee campaigned wearing a vest designed to stop bullets and surrounded by heavy security. He had received credible death threats and had survived an assassination attempt, making his personal safety a visible part of the election.

His rallies used protective glass, while security personnel watched from rooftops. Those precautions reflected the tense atmosphere in which South Koreans were choosing their next president.

Political divisions extended beyond the campaign itself. Supporters of the ousted president remained opposed to those demanding reform, leaving Lee to govern a country whose voters had reached sharply different conclusions about the crisis.

His promise of unity therefore carries a concrete task: restoring confidence in government among people who disagree about the former president, the election and what should happen next.

What Lee Wants to Change About Presidential Power

Lee has promised constitutional reforms that would make it more difficult for a president to declare martial law. His proposal seeks to address the concentration of authority exposed by Yoon's attempt and to restore public faith in democratic institutions.

Both major candidates called for constitutional changes to limit presidential power. Their agreement on that broad goal showed that concern about the presidency's authority extended across the political divide, even as their parties remained deeply opposed over responsibility for the crisis.

Lee has proposed a presidency with terms lasting four years and the possibility of serving two terms. He also wants to decentralize executive authority, spreading power more widely rather than leaving so much of it with the president.

A constitutional amendment changes the basic rules under which a country is governed. Lee's proposals therefore reach beyond the immediate response to Yoon: they could reshape how future presidents exercise power for decades. The proposed changes are not yet settled.

Legal Cases Follow Lee Into the Presidency

Lee remains a controversial figure despite his election victory. He faces ongoing legal cases, including a Supreme Court trial over alleged election law violations, creating uncertainty alongside his political mandate.

South Korean presidents are generally immune from prosecution while in office, except for insurrection or treason. That protection limits the circumstances in which a sitting president can be prosecuted, while Lee's unresolved cases remain part of the political debate surrounding him.

The legal uncertainty adds to the difficulty of rebuilding trust. Lee must demonstrate that his administration can govern effectively while opponents continue to challenge his credibility and supporters expect him to deliver the reforms he promised.

Economic Recovery and Difficult Diplomacy

Lee has moved his policy platform toward the center, presenting economic reform and pragmatic diplomacy as priorities. His promise of economic revival comes as South Korea seeks stability after months of political disruption.

He has pledged to strengthen the alliance between South Korea and the United States, continue engagement with Japan and seek dialogue with North Korea. Together, those commitments describe an approach that combines established security relationships with efforts to keep communication open.

Relations with Washington will bring immediate pressure. U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for new tariffs and demanding that South Korea pay more for hosting U.S. troops, placing trade and security costs on the new president's agenda.

Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. Negotiations over them concern the terms on which goods enter the U.S. market, while talks about troop costs concern South Korea's financial contribution to hosting American forces. Lee will have to manage both issues while trying to strengthen the alliance.

His domestic and foreign priorities will compete for attention. Constitutional reform, economic recovery, relations with neighboring countries and negotiations with the United States all arrive at a moment when the new administration must also repair confidence in government.

Restoring Trust After the Crisis

Lee's election gives South Korea a new president after an extraordinary period of uncertainty. It also places responsibility for reconciliation on a politician who became a central figure in resistance to Yoon.

Many voters supported him because they wanted an end to the upheaval. Meeting their expectations will require visible progress on stable government, economic conditions and protections against another abuse of presidential power.

An unnamed voter expressed the connection between participating in the election and protecting democracy:

I hope we have the power to save [our democracy] and make it greater than before. My vote is a piece of power.

The coming months will test Lee's ability to carry out his promises while governing a polarized country. His victory has resolved who will lead South Korea; rebuilding trust will require decisions that reach beyond the election campaign.

Key Points

• Lee Jae-myung won 49.3% against Kim Moon-soo's 41.3%, with more than 99% of votes counted.
• The snap election came exactly six months after Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law attempt.
• Nearly 80% of 44.39 million eligible voters participated, the highest turnout since 1997.
• Lee promised tighter limits on martial law, changes to presidential terms and a wider distribution of executive authority.
• He faces political divisions, ongoing legal cases and pressure to revive the economy.
• His diplomatic agenda includes the U.S. alliance, engagement with Japan, dialogue with North Korea and negotiations over tariffs and troop costs.