Overview
Lee Jae-myung (이재명, born December 22, 1964) is the 21st President of South Korea, serving since July 1, 2025. A lawyer-turned-politician, he served as Mayor of Seongnam (2010-2018), Governor of Gyeonggi Province (2018-2022), and leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (2022-2025). He won the presidential election on June 3, 2025, becoming the first president in South Korean history to rise from a local government position.
Early Life
Childhood and Struggles
Lee was born around December 8, 1963, in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, as the fifth of seven children in a poor family. His official birth date was registered as December 22, 1964, due to late registration by his father. After elementary school, his family moved to Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, where he worked in factories. He suffered an industrial accident that severed some fingers on his left hand.
Education and Legal Career
Lee earned middle and high school equivalency diplomas through self-study and graduated from Chung-Ang University with a law degree in 1986. After passing the bar examination, he became a human rights and labor lawyer in Seongnam, advocating for industrial accident victims and residents facing eviction from urban redevelopment projects.
Political Career
Mayor of Seongnam (2010-2018)
After an unsuccessful bid in 2006, Lee was elected Mayor of Seongnam in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. During his eight-year tenure, he eliminated the citys 664.2 billion won debt and achieved a 95% public pledge fulfillment rate. He introduced pioneering welfare policies including youth dividends, free school uniforms, and free school meals.
Governor of Gyeonggi Province (2018-2022)
Elected governor in 2018, Lee implemented various policies including a 24-hour emergency helicopter service, basic income initiatives, and COVID-19 relief payments during the pandemic.
Democratic Party Leadership (2022-2025)
After narrowly losing the 2022 presidential election to Yoon Suk Yeol by 0.73%, Lee became the Democratic Partys leader and was elected to the National Assembly representing Gyeyang District, Incheon.
Path to Presidency
2024 Assassination Attempt
On January 2, 2024, Lee survived a stabbing attack to his neck during a visit to a construction site in Busan, recovering within days.
2024 Martial Law Crisis
When President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on December 3, 2024, Lee climbed over the National Assembly fence to enter the chamber and participate in passing a resolution demanding the lifting of martial law. This moment was broadcast worldwide and drew international attention.
2025 Presidential Election
After the Constitutional Court unanimously (8-0) upheld Yoons impeachment on April 4, 2025, Lee resigned as party leader and launched his presidential bid. He won the Democratic Party nomination with 89.77% of votes on April 27 and won the June 3, 2025 presidential election with 49.2% of the vote, defeating Kim Moon-soo of the Peoples Power Party by 8.27 percentage points (approximately 2.89 million votes).
Lee Jae-myung Administration
Key Policy Priorities
- Economic stabilization: cost-of-living relief, support for small businesses
- Regulatory reform to spur innovation
- Constitutional amendment: proposing two four-year presidential terms and runoff voting
- Restoration of Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) as presidential residence
- Managing US-Korea alliance amid Trump administrations tariff policies
- Rebalancing relations with North Korea and China
Challenges
Lee faces severe political polarization, a declining birth rate, economic anxiety with the Bank of Korea forecasting only 0.8% growth for 2025, and navigating complex international relations.