Lee Jae-Myung Wins South Korean Presidency In Snap Poll, Vows To ‘Restore Democracy’

<p>Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung has emerged victorious in South Korea&rsquo;s presidential snap election, securing the top post after the impeachment of former leader Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee secured 48.523% of the votes with 70% of the ballots counted, comfortably ahead of his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo.</p>
<p>Lee, a former human rights lawyer and two-time presidential hopeful, thanked voters for their trust, stating outside his home: &ldquo;I will do my utmost to fulfil the great responsibility and mission entrusted to me, so as not to disappoint the expectations of our people.&rdquo; He added, &ldquo;I will never forget the duty of a president to unite the people&rdquo;, The Guardian reported.</p>
<p>This snap election was prompted by Yoon&rsquo;s brief declaration of martial law in December, which was quickly overturned but sparked the country&rsquo;s most serious political crisis in decades. The Constitutional Court upheld Yoon&rsquo;s impeachment in early April, setting the stage for this high-stakes vote.</p>
<p>Kim Moon-soo, representing the conservative People Power Party, conceded defeat as vote tallies showed Lee pulling ahead. According to Bloomberg, Kim said he &ldquo;humbly&rdquo; accepts the outcome and congratulated his opponent.</p>
<p class=”p1″>Lee addressed supporters when about 80% of the votes had been counted. &ldquo;I will carry out the mission you have given me,&rdquo; he said, bowing to cheering crowds. In his speech, he pledged to revive the economy, restore democracy, and ensure that martial law would never return. He labelled Yoon&rsquo;s actions as an &ldquo;insurrection attempt&rdquo;.</p>