South Korea’s liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung has won a snap presidential election, capping months of political turmoil triggered by the stunning but brief imposition of martial law by his ousted conservative predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol.
Even before Lee’s win was formally declared, his main conservative rival, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (PPP), conceded early on Wednesday, telling journalists he “humbly accepts the people’s choice” and congratulates Lee for winning the election.
Lee had earlier thanked voters for placing their trust in him, saying he would do his “utmost to fulfil the great responsibility and mission entrusted to me, so as not to disappoint the expectations of our people”.
In a nod to South Korea’s growing partisan divide, exacerbated by the chaos after Yoon’s martial law bid, Lee said those that did not support him remained “fellow citizens” and promised to “move forward with hope and make a fresh start from this moment on”.
He also promised to “pursue dialogue, communication, and cooperation” between Seoul and its arch-enemy Pyongyang, with which relations plunged to their lowest level in years under Yoon’s hawkish approach.
With 99.2 percent of votes counted, Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, had 49.3 percent of votes while Kim had 41.3%, according to National Election Commission data on Wednesday.
Nearly 80 percent of South Korea’s 44.39 million eligible voters cast their ballots, the highest turnout for a presidential election in the country since 1997, with Lee terming the polls “judgement day” against Yoon’s martial law and the PPP’s failure to distance itself from that decision.
Lee is due to take office as soon as Wednesday, with the unusual circumstances having seen the usual two-month transition period dismissed.
The toughest external challenges awaiting a new president are US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and North Korea’s advancing nuclear programme. But experts say whoever becomes president cannot do much to secure major progress in South Korea’s favour on those issues.
Applause and cheers filled the situation room of the National Assembly, where Democratic Party officials were gathered as the result of the exit poll was announced.
Kim’s poor showing was not helped by the former Yoon ally’s failure to convince a third-party candidate, Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party, to unify and avoid splitting the right-wing vote.
Al Jazeera’s Jack Barton, reporting from Seoul, said Kim also struggled to distance himself from the scandal around Yoon. The impeached former president is now facing a criminal trial for insurrection.
“He is seen as a Yoon loyalist,” Barton said.
Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in politics for years.
As a former child labourer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country’s conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country’s deep-seated economic inequality and corruption.
On election day, Seoul streets were peaceful as people made the most of good weather and a public holiday.
However, police issued the highest level of alert and deployed thousands of officers to ensure that the election went smoothly, with Yoon’s detention earlier this year and eventual impeachment leading to angry protests from supporters.
Similar security arrangements are due to carry through for the inauguration on Wednesday.
Lee, who survived an assassination attempt last year, campaigned in a bulletproof vest and delivered speeches behind a protective glass shield.
South Korean presidents serve a single five-year term.
