April 11, 2025
Seoul – Rep. Lee Jae-Myung officially announced his presidential campaign the day after resigning as chairman of the South Korean Democratic Party.
The former Democratic leader appeared as a supporter of the people in a 10-minute video clip released by the Lee movement, vowing to address income inequality and lead economic growth.
Lee said the country's economy “has been in a spiral decline in many ways” after the current government “was ignored for three years.”
“The economy cannot be maintained by the private sector alone,” he said.
Lee said the country’s polarization and gap “is caused by the economic hardship that plagues ordinary Koreans.”
“Our country is richer than before. But wealth is distributed unevenly. Income and wealth inequality are much worse than in the past. Overall, we may be richer than in the past, but this prosperity and wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few.”
“I want to build a country for ordinary people, and this country is full of hope for the vast majority of people.”
Lee said he will overcome the party in order to “improve the greater good of life for ordinary Koreans.”
“At the end of the day, it's not a blue or red issue,” he said, referring to the Democratic Party representing rival BJP, blue and red colors.
He said that if they improve the lives of the people, he would pragmatically deploy right- or left-wing policies.
Lee said in terms of foreign policy that alliances with the United States and three-way cooperation with the United States and Japan is “very important.”
He added that the principle guiding his foreign policy would be “the national interest of the Korean people.”
Lee also talked about South Korea's growing soft power.
“I think our cultural sector has the potential to lead globally and I believe we can have a country in culture,” he said.
Lee hints at the strike of former President Yoon Suk Yeol without mentioning his name, the country demonstrates its democracy’s resilience to the world through people’s resistance.
“I think the way the Korean people resist the power that tries to undermine democracy and win victory will be a historical decline,” he said.
“Winter is long and cruel. It's as cold as winter, and it's warm at dawn.”
Lee was registered as a preliminary candidate for the president on Thursday with the National Election Commission. The Democrats will finalize their presidential candidate in early May. The presidential election will be held on June 3.
