South Korea had been in a deep political disaster for six months. The camps of the conservatives and the left confronted themselves. Now the voters determined fairly clearly for the candidate of the left.
Six months after the start of the extreme political disaster in South Korea, opposition chief Lee Jae Myung gained the early South Korean presidential election. After counting greater than 98 p.c of the votes, the center-left candidate was unexpectedly forward of his conservative rival Kim Moon Soo, as was the results of knowledge from the nationwide electoral authority on Wednesday (native time). According to the partial outcomes, Lee got here to 49.2 p.c of the vote, Kim acquired 41.5 p.c. Kim had already admitted his defeat after the polling stations had been closed.
During the voting depend, election winner Lee thanked his voters for his or her “great decision”. He will do all the things he can to “fulfill the great responsibility and task” that he had been entrusted with so as to not disappoint the expectations of the South Korean folks, mentioned Lee in Seoul.
“I will humble the decision of the people,” mentioned the inferior conservative candidate Kim to journalists in Seoul. “Congratulations to the chosen candidate Lee Jae Myung,” he added.
As quickly because the nationwide electoral authority concludes the counts and confirms the consequence, Lee will take the workplace of president – most likely already on Wednesday morning.
The early election passed off after the previous conservative head of state Yoon Suk Yeol had been deducted from parliament in December due to his quick -term proclamation of battle legislation. Opposition chief Lee from the Democratic Party had been elected as a transparent favourite because of the surveys.
Yoon’s quick -term proclamation of battle legislation in the beginning of December had severely shaken South Korean democracy. The conservative head of state had taken the drastic measure in view of a family dispute. Yoon raised battle legislation once more after a number of hours, however the parliament voted for his dismissal. His disempowerment was then confirmed by the constitutional court docket in early April.
The 61-year-old opposition chief and former manufacturing unit employee Lee had excelled throughout the imposition of battle legislation by giving a speech to defend democracy within the parliament transformed by the military, which he streamed in on-line providers. Lee Knapp had misplaced the presidential election of 2022 in opposition to Yoon.
The turnout was 79.4 p.c and thus updated for nearly 20 years. The sturdy turnout had already emerged final week when greater than a 3rd of the eligible voters had made use of the opportunity of the early voting.
The election was referred to as 44.3 million voters within the East Asian nation. Many of them linked the hope for an finish to the tip of the disaster that additionally burdened South Korea’s financial system, and a return to stability.
Kim apologized very late
Kim was the one former cupboard member to have lengthy refused to apologize for his position within the proclamation of battle legislation. It was solely in May that the 73-year-old former union chief mentioned that he was “sincerely sorry” for the individuals who had “suffered” from the proclamation of the legislation.
After the quick -term imposition of battle legislation, the temper within the nation was extraordinarily evaporating. Several transitional presidents modified, and there have been at all times mass protests for and in opposition to Yoon. In January, a rally in favor of the deposed president turned violence when radical Yoon supporters stormed a courthouse within the capital Seoul.
The election on Tuesday passed off below large safety precautions. In Seoul, 1000’s of law enforcement officials had been on obligation to make sure an undisturbed course of. Incidents weren’t reported by the night.
Lee had survived an try at assault final 12 months. During the election marketing campaign, he wore a bulletproof vest and held his speeches behind protecting discs.
The South Korean president is elected for 5 years and will solely maintain the place for one time period. In addition to overcoming the political divisions, the longer term head of state continues to be dealing with different main challenges. He should assist the nation from the financial disaster, decelerate the rise in residing prices and, final however not least, cope with the specter of the North Korea outfitted with nuclear warheads.
AFP/FHS
https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article256206880/Ende-der-Krise-Mitte-Links-Kandidat-Lee-gewinnt-Praesidentenwahl-in-Suedkorea.html