Lee Jae-myung facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lee Jae-myung
이재명
Lee in 2025
President-elect of South Korea
Assuming office 4 June 2025
Prime Minister	Kim Min-seok (designated)
Succeeding	Yoon Suk Yeol Lee Ju-ho (acting)
Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea
In office 28 August 2022 – 9 April 2025
Preceded by	Woo Sang-ho
Succeeded by	Park Chan-dae (acting)
Other important roles Member of the National Assembly Incumbent Assumed office 2 June 2022 Preceded by Song Young-gil Constituency Gyeyang B (Incheon) Governor of Gyeonggi Province In office 1 July 2018 – 25 October 2021 Preceded by Nam Kyung-pil Succeeded by Oh Byeong-kwon (acting) Kim Dong-yeon Mayor of Seongnam In office 1 July 2010 – 15 March 2018 Preceded by Lee Dae-yup Succeeded by Eun Su-mi
Personal details
Born	(1963-12-08) 8 December 1963 (age 61) Andong, South Korea
Political party	Democratic (since 2014)
Spouse	Kim Hye-kyung ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	2
Education	Chung-Ang University (LLB) Gachon University (MPA)
Occupation	Politician author
Profession	Lawyer
Signature

}} Lee Jae-myung (Hangul: 이재명; born 8 December 1963) is a South Korean politician and lawyer. He is the President-elect of South Korea, meaning he will soon become the country's leader.

He has been a member of the National Assembly (like a parliament) for Gyeyang B since 2022. Before that, he was the Governor of Gyeonggi Province from 2018 to 2021 and the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea from 2022 to 2025.

Lee Jae-myung grew up in a poor family in Andong. He started working in factories after elementary school and even got injured, which caused a disability. Despite these challenges, he worked hard to earn his middle and high school diplomas and went on to study law at Chung-Ang University. After becoming a lawyer, he focused on human rights and helping workers.

He entered politics in 2005. He was elected Mayor of Seongnam in 2010 and served two terms. He ran for president in 2017 but didn't win his party's nomination. In 2018, he became the Governor of Gyeonggi Province. He ran for president again in 2022, winning his party's nomination, but lost the general election by a small margin.

In January 2024, Lee survived an attack. Later that year, he played a big part in leading the effort to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office. After Yoon's presidency ended, Lee ran for president a third time in 2025 and won, becoming the President-elect of South Korea.

Lee Jae-myung's Early Life and Education

Lee in 1976

Lee Jae-myung was born on 8 December 1963, in Andong, as the fifth of seven children. His family was very poor. Because of this, he often missed out on social activities and relied on teachers to help him go on field trips. He enjoyed fishing with his friends by the creek.

After elementary school, his family moved to Seongnam to find work, as they couldn't afford middle or high school education.

Working as a Child Factory Worker

In Seongnam, Lee, like many other children from poor families, started working in factories instead of going to middle school. He worked in a handmade necklace factory and then at a company called Dongma Rubber. He was too young to legally work, so he used different names. He injured his finger at Dongma Rubber.

After that accident, he worked for Daeyang Industry, where he had another serious accident. An industrial press crushed his wrist, causing a permanent disability in his arm. This injury later meant he didn't have to do military service. He is officially registered as a person with a disability.

Seeing students in school uniforms while working made Lee want to go to university. He studied hard to pass exams, earning his middle school diploma in 1978 and his high school diploma in 1981.

His tough experiences growing up inspired his political idea called 'Eokgang Buyak'. This idea means helping the poorest people in society and limiting the power of those who are very strong or wealthy.

Becoming a Civil Rights Lawyer

Lee was accepted into Chung-Ang University's College of Law with a scholarship. After graduating in 1986, he passed the bar exam to become a lawyer. He was inspired by famous human rights lawyers like Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in to become a lawyer who fights for human rights and workers' rights. He opened his law office in Seongnam.

He worked with lawyers' groups like Minbyun to help workers and protect human rights. In 1995, he helped start the 'Seongnam Citizens' Association', a group focused on improving the city. He became well-known for his work, especially in a case about corruption in property sales in Bundang.

Around 2002, two hospitals in Seongnam closed. Lee started a movement to build a new public hospital. When the city council rejected the idea quickly, Lee realized that social movements alone might not be enough to make big changes. This led him to decide to enter politics.

Lee Jae-myung's Political Journey

Lee joined the Uri Party in 2005, which was a party that later became part of the Democratic Party. He first ran for mayor of Seongnam in 2006 but lost. He also ran for a seat in the National Assembly in 2008 but was unsuccessful.

Serving as Mayor of Seongnam (2010–2018)

In 2010, Lee Jae-myung was elected Mayor of Seongnam. He won with over 51% of the votes.

As mayor, he made some big changes. He moved the mayor's office to a smaller space and turned the old, fancy office into a book cafe. He also announced that the city was in a lot of debt and needed to stop spending so much. He worked to pay off the city's debts and used social media like Twitter and Facebook to share his views and connect with people. He even installed cameras in his office, saying it was to prevent people from trying to bribe officials.

He focused on improving welfare for the city's residents. He worked to strengthen the Seongnam Medical Center and started programs like providing free school uniforms for students. He also created a "youth dividend" system, which gave a form of basic income to young citizens.

He was re-elected as mayor in 2014.

Lee is also known for his decision to ban the slaughter of dogs for meat in Moran Market, a major dog meat market. He signed an agreement with shop owners to stop displaying and slaughtering live dogs, helping them switch to other businesses.

He strongly criticized the government's handling of the Sinking of MV Sewol disaster. He also went on an 11-day fast to protest government plans that would hurt local groups, including Buddhist organizations. By the end of his time as mayor, he had kept most of his promises, including building the medical center, the youth dividend, and free school uniforms. Many of these ideas later became part of his plans for national politics.

Leading Gyeonggi Province (2018–2021)

After his first attempt to become president, Lee ran for Governor of Gyeonggi Province in 2018. This province is very large and includes much of the area around Seoul, with over 13 million people. He won the election by a large margin, becoming the first liberal governor of Gyeonggi in twenty years.

Lee in 2020

As governor, Lee received praise for his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. He took strong steps, like visiting the leader of a church group that was linked to many infections and getting them to cooperate with testing and contact tracing. He also ordered all foreigners working in Gyeonggi Province to be tested for COVID-19, which helped find many new cases.

Lee often said that he kept about 95% of his campaign promises while in office. He believed in taking action to get results, even if it meant facing political challenges. He resigned as governor in October 2021 to focus on his second presidential campaign.

Serving in the National Assembly (2022–Present)

After his close loss in the 2022 presidential election, Lee Jae-myung ran for and won a seat in the National Assembly for Incheon Gyeyang District B in June 2022. He then became the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea in August.

Role in 2024 Political Events

Lee gained international attention in 2024 during a major political crisis. When President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and tried to stop the National Assembly from meeting using the military, Lee went to the Assembly building anyway. He started a live video on his YouTube channel, showing himself climbing the fence to get past the military. He called on people to protest. He later played a key role in leading the effort to remove President Yoon from office, which happened on 14 December.

Lee Jae-myung's Presidential Campaigns

2017 Presidential Election Attempt

In late 2016, a big political scandal involving President Park Geun-hye led to widespread protests. Lee Jae-myung became well-known for his strong speeches during these protests, saying that President Park was "no longer our president." He became a popular candidate in the Democratic Party's primary election for president in 2017.

However, as the protests calmed down, his popularity also decreased. He finished third in the primary election, behind Moon Jae-in (who went on to win the presidency) and Ahn Hee-jung.

2022 Presidential Election Attempt

Lee announced his plan to run for president in the 2022 South Korean presidential election in July 2021. He focused on policies that would create more equality for everyone and improve South Korea's standing in the world. He said his main goals would be to help Korea lead in fighting climate change, global pandemics, and fast technological changes, and to help the country's economy grow.

He officially became the Democratic Party's presidential candidate on 10 October 2021. In the general election, he lost to Yoon Suk Yeol of the People Power Party by a very small number of votes.

2025 Presidential Election Victory

On 9 April 2025, shortly after President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office, Lee resigned as leader of the Democratic Party. The next day, he announced he would run for president a third time. On 27 April, he officially became his party's candidate. He promised to change the Constitution to allow presidents to serve two four-year terms and to introduce a system where voters could choose a second time if no candidate won a clear majority. On June 3, 2025, Lee won the presidential election with 49.42% of the votes and will be sworn in shortly after.

Lee Jae-myung's Presidency (Starting 2025)

As President-elect, Lee has already started making plans for his government. He has agreed to appoint Lee Min-seok as Prime Minister. Other potential choices for important roles in national security and foreign affairs include former Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok, former Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong, and diplomat Wi Sung-lac.

Lee Jae-myung's Political Ideas

Economic and Social Policies

Lee Jae-myung's political ideas are generally considered to be centre-left within the Democratic Party of Korea. He supports a type of economic policy called "New Deal liberalism," which is inspired by former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who helped his country recover from a major economic crisis. Lee believes in a strong government role in boosting the economy.

He calls his main economic vision "Transformative and Fair Growth." He thinks that many of South Korea's problems come from slow economic growth, which leads to fewer opportunities for young people and more competition. He believes that unfairness in the economy, like the gap between big companies and small businesses, or inequalities in the housing market, makes these problems worse.

His plan for "Transformative and Fair Growth" includes policies for a "Green New Deal" (focusing on environmentally friendly industries) and digital transformation. He also wants to reform education, balance power among different economic groups, ensure fair competition, and create social safety nets to help people during economic changes.

While mostly progressive, he has also shown some ideas that are more economically liberal, like cutting real estate taxes and reducing some business rules.

Lee often speaks positively about former dictator Park Chung Hee, saying that his state-led economic policies are similar to Park's. He has also been criticized by some liberals for praising the economic performance of former dictator Chun Doo-hwan, with critics saying he was trying to win over conservative voters.

Universal Basic Income

Lee at the 2021 Basic Income Expo

One of Lee's main promises during his 2022 presidential campaign was to introduce universal basic income (UBI). UBI is a system where everyone receives a regular payment from the government, regardless of their income or job. He had already started similar programs for residents when he was mayor and governor.

For his national plan, Lee promised to start by giving basic income to young people, farmers, and fishermen. Eventually, he wants to expand it to all citizens and increase the amounts. He suggested that this could be paid for by a carbon tax (a tax on activities that produce carbon emissions) and a land value tax (a tax on the value of land). He believes these taxes would also help control real estate speculation and reduce carbon emissions.

Government-Backed Loans

Lee also supports "basic loans." These would be government loans of up to 10 million South Korean won (about US$8,750) with low interest rates (around 3%). Anyone could get these loans, no matter their credit history. He sees these government-backed loans as a safer option for people than borrowing from high-interest private lenders.

Technology and Data

Lee believes that data is very important for digital transformation. As governor, he made sure official documents used an open format and introduced the world's first "data dividend," which gives a share of profits from data-related businesses back to the people who created the data. He also used data analysis to fight animal diseases and track COVID-19 patients while protecting their privacy. He thinks that large technology companies should not have too much power and that workers in the digital economy need better protection.

He believes South Korea needs forward-thinking economic policies that consider the impact of artificial intelligence on society. He says the government should help people adjust to these changes.

Trade Policy

Lee is a strong supporter of free trade, which means allowing goods and services to move freely between countries without many restrictions. He opposes limits on South Korean semiconductor (computer chip) products due to trade protectionism from countries like the U.S.

Education Reforms

Lee during a visit to a child care center

Lee's education plans focus on strengthening students' abilities rather than just grades. He suggested that middle school teachers should use different ways to assess student performance. For high school, he proposed a "high school credit system" to help students who are struggling in subjects like math. He also suggested using AI-based personalized learning and evaluation in some subjects for elementary and middle school students.

He also proposed an "outdoor school" program to encourage challenges, adventures, cooperation, and curiosity in teenagers, with about 10 hours per semester dedicated to it.

Youth Policies

Lee on a youth radio show

Besides universal basic income and loans for youth, Lee planned to offer one-time employment benefits to young people who quit their jobs voluntarily, to help them find new work or develop their careers. He also wants to lower student loan interest rates and make university tuition more flexible based on how many credits students take. Finally, he aims to provide basic housing for young people and reform the housing market to help low-income youth buy homes.

Views on Gender Equality

Lee Jae-myung's views on gender equality have been discussed in South Korean media. While some critics have called him "anti-feminist," others point out that his stance might be more about appealing to different groups of voters than a true opposition to women's rights.

He strongly opposes the idea of getting rid of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which some conservative politicians support. He has also criticized the idea that gender inequality no longer exists in South Korea and has called for addressing structural gender discrimination.

During his 2022 presidential campaign, he promised to expand government support for single women living alone. He also pledged to create a system to report and monitor sexism in the workplace and to improve women's health services, such as increasing government support for sanitary pads and promoting free HPV vaccines.

Immigrant Rights

Lee supports the rights of immigrants. He believes that immigration policies should not just focus on getting cheap labor but also protect the human rights of foreign workers. However, he is not in favor of large-scale immigration.

Foreign Policy Views

Lee has shared his ideas on how South Korea should interact with other countries, especially the United States, China, Japan, and North Korea. He believes foreign policy should focus on improving the lives of South Koreans and serving the country's interests.

North Korea Relations

Lee wants to continue efforts to have peace talks with North Korea, following the lead of previous liberal presidents. He supports easing sanctions on North Korea if they take steps to reduce their nuclear weapons, but he also believes sanctions should be put back in place if North Korea doesn't keep its promises.

United States Relations

Lee supports strong trade relations and military cooperation with the United States. He has, however, criticized the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system because it led to economic problems with China. He believes that while the U.S. is South Korea's only ally, it's important to also have good relations with China.

China Relations

Lee sees China as a "strategic partner" alongside the U.S. He believes South Korea should not have to choose between the two countries but instead work to cooperate with both.

He has criticized China for "robbing and invading" Korean culture, especially after a Korean Chinese performer wore a hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony. He also said that if Chinese fishing boats illegally enter South Korean waters, they should be sunk.

In 2024, he criticized President Yoon for making China an "enemy" and causing a trade deficit. He also questioned why South Korea should get involved in the Taiwan issue.

Japan Relations

Regarding relations with Japan, Lee supports a "two-track strategy." This means actively promoting economic, social, and diplomatic cooperation while also firmly addressing historical issues, territorial disputes (like the Dokdo islands), and the safety of South Korean citizens.

He has been critical of Japan's military power, calling it a "de facto 'enemy country'" in 2016 and suggesting that if Japan increases its military, it might invade South Korea first. However, he supports the military agreement between South Korea and Japan (GSOMIA) to maintain good relations with the U.S., which encourages cooperation between the two countries.

In 2018, Lee said that Japan, which he called an "aggressor country," should have been divided into two countries after World War II, not Korea.

Russia Relations

Lee is seen as having a relatively friendly view of Russia compared to some other South Korean politicians.

Lee Jae-myung's Election Results

Primary Election Results

See also

In Spanish: Lee Jae-myung para niños