Exit Polls Indicate Lee Jae-myung Leads in South Korea's Presidential Election

Lee Jae-myung, representing South Korea’s majority liberal Democratic Party, appears poised for victory in the country’s snap presidential election as exit polls on Tuesday indicated a significant lead over his rivals. With the nation closely monitoring ballot counts after an intense campaign period, anticipation is growing over what Lee’s potential win could mean for the country’s political and economic future.

A joint exit poll conducted by three major terrestrial broadcasters projected that Lee secured 51.7 percent of the vote. His main competitor, Kim Moon-soo from the conservative People Power Party, trailed with 39.3 percent, while the New Reform Party’s Lee Jun-seok collected 7.7 percent support. The data underscores a decisive preference for the liberal candidate among South Korean voters, coming at a critical moment following months of political turbulence leading up to this unexpected election.

Separate estimates released by local broadcasters, including JTBC, Channel A, and MBN, similarly showed Lee maintaining a margin of approximately 10 percentage points ahead of Kim. These consistent projections across various media outlets have reinforced expectations of a change in direction for the presidency, pending the official confirmation of results later in the night.

The snap election was called amid growing public demand for new leadership and fresh approaches to longstanding challenges such as economic inequality, youth unemployment, and regional security concerns. Lee’s campaign focused heavily on promises to bolster welfare programs, promote social justice, and pursue a pragmatic approach to North Korea, themes that resonated with large segments of the electorate.

As votes continue to be tallied, Lee Jae-myung’s supporters have begun gathering in central Seoul, expressing cautious optimism about the prospect of his administration ushering in a new era for South Korea. Meanwhile, both his opponents and political analysts are closely watching for any late shifts as the count progresses, even as exit polls strongly suggest a clear path to victory for the liberal candidate.