Exit Polls Indicate Lee Jae-myung will Become South Korea's Next President

Lee Jae-myung is projected to be the next president of South Korea, according to exit polls released after Tuesday’s snap election. The vote follows months of political turmoil, including a brief period of martial law declared by the now-impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol.

Exit polls by South Korean broadcaster MBN gave Lee, the Democratic Party’s candidate, 49.2% of the vote. His conservative opponent, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, trailed behind at 41.7%. A separate joint exit poll by three major broadcasters showed an even larger margin: Lee at 51.7% and Kim at 39.3%.

A Comeback Victory for Lee

Lee, a 61-year-old former human rights lawyer, had previously run twice for the presidency. This time, he rode a wave of public dissatisfaction over Yoon’s controversial leadership, especially after Yoon’s declaration of martial law in December—a move that was swiftly overturned but sparked the largest political crisis in decades.

Lee called election day “judgment day” for the country and framed the vote as a chance to correct the course of South Korea’s democracy.

“Save South Korea”

In a Facebook message posted on Tuesday, Lee said the vote was an opportunity to “save South Korea, which is in crisis due to the greed of the establishment.”

Voter turnout was high. The national election commission reported that 77.8% of eligible voters had cast their ballots by an hour before polls closed—surpassing the turnout in the 2022 presidential election. More than a third of the country’s 44.39 million registered voters participated in early voting last week.

Challenges Ahead for Lee

Despite the victory, Lee’s presidency begins under challenging conditions. South Korea is currently dealing with an economic downturn, rising inequality, and uncertainty about U.S. security commitments under Donald Trump’s leadership.

Lee will also take office immediately, without the usual two-month transition period, as his five-year term begins on Wednesday.

The impeachment and removal of Yoon Suk Yeol have left a divided country. Large demonstrations have filled the streets in recent months, with citizens both criticizing and defending the former president. Kim Moon-soo’s campaign struggled to gain traction, particularly among moderate voters, as his party debated how to address Yoon’s controversial legacy.

While official results are expected late Tuesday night, exit polls strongly indicate that Lee Jae-myung will lead South Korea into its next chapter.