(3 Jun 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Seoul, South Korea – 12 May 2025
1. Wide of the Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung at presidential his campaign
2. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Lee Jae-myung, Democratic Party leader:
"I make a solemn promise in front of South Korean people. I will run in this election as the candidate of the Democratic Party, and at the same time, the candidate of all people who long for an end to conflict, the overcoming of crisis, and the pursuit of happiness. With humility, I will take the lead in achieving national unity, the foremost duty of the presidency."
3. Close of Lee supporters
4. Wide of Lee
5. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Lee Jae-myung, Democratic Party leader:
"If you give me, Lee Jae-myung, an opportunity to work, I will prove, through actions and results, how one dedicated public servant, one responsible leader, can transform a country."
6. Lee waving
STORYLINE:
South Korea’s liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung was elected president early Wednesday, a victory that would cap months of political turmoil triggered by the stunning but brief imposition of martial law by now-ousted conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol.
It was unclear whether Lee’s election would cause any major, immediate shift in South Korea’s foreign policy. Lee, previously accused by critics of tilting toward China and North Korea and away from the U.S. and Japan, has repeatedly stressed South Korea’s alliance with the U.S. as the foundation of its foreign policy.
The toughest external challenges awaiting a new president are U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and North Korea’s advancing nuclear program. But experts say whoever becomes president can’t do much to secure major progress in South Korea’s favor on those issues.
With nearly 95% of ballots counted as of 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, led with 48.86% of votes. The main conservative candidate, Kim Moon Soo, had 41.98%.
The exit poll by South Korea’s three major television stations — KBS, MBC and SBS — earlier showed Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of total votes cast, beating Kim with 39.3%. Pre-election surveys suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon’s martial law debacle.
Even before Lee’s win was formally declared, Kim conceded, telling journalists he “humbly accepts the people’s choice” and congratulated Lee.
Earlier, Lee appeared before thousands of cheering supporters in the streets of Seoul. He didn’t formally claim victory but reiterated his major policy goals such as revitalizing the economy, promoting peace with North Korea and easing a domestic divide.
“Let us move forward with hope and make a fresh start from this moment on,” he said. “Though we may have clashed for some time, even those who did not support us are still our fellow citizens of the Republic of Korea.”
The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period.
AP video shot by Yong-ho Kim
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