Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea’s main opposition party, officially announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election on Thursday, pledging to address national divisions and drive economic growth.
Lee previously ran in the 2022 presidential election, narrowly losing to former President Yoon Suk-yeol. Following Yoon’s controversial declaration of martial law, Lee led the liberal Democratic Party’s campaign to impeach him, resulting in Yoon’s removal from office.
Stepping down from his role as party chairman, Lee is now focused on his presidential campaign and is currently the leading contender in the Democratic Party primaries.
In a parallel development, Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province and an experienced financial expert, also announced his intention to run for president. The election is scheduled for June 3.
The impeachment of Yoon has caused significant disruption within the conservative People Power Party. Internal divisions have deepened between Yoon loyalists, who still control party leadership, and reformists seeking a new direction.
As a result, approximately ten candidates are expected to compete for the party’s nomination.
In a video address, Lee highlighted that the crisis surrounding the declaration of martial law revealed serious social fractures and inequality across the country. He emphasized that the widening gap between the rich and the poor is a major cause of instability.
As part of his campaign platform, Lee is proposing expansive government-led investment strategies designed to stimulate economic growth and reduce income disparity.
He advocates for state-led talent development and significant investments in research and technological innovation to revitalize the national economy, stressing that relying solely on the private sector is no longer sufficient in the face of slowing global growth.
Follow the latest news on Google News
