SOUTH Korea’s centre-left presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung hailed voters’ “great decision” as he was poised early Wednesday to win a snap election by a wide margin, capping months of political chaos.
Six months to the day after ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol plunged the country into crisis with his disastrous declaration of martial law, all three major broadcasters projected Lee as the likely winner, with voter turnout the highest in nearly three decades.
With most votes counted, Lee of the left-leaning Democratic Party was well ahead, all but guaranteeing victory against challenger Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), who conceded the race.
“I will humbly accept the choice of the people. Congratulations to the elected candidate Lee Jae-myung,” Kim said as the last ballots were still being counted.
Lee thanked voters for placing their trust in him, saying he would do his “utmost to fulfil the great responsibility and mission entrusted to me, so as not to disappoint the expectations of our people.”
In a nod to South Korea’s growing partisan divide, exacerbated by the chaos after Yoon’s martial law bid, Lee said those that did not support him remained “fellow citizens” and promised to “move forward with hope and make a fresh start from this moment on”.
AFP #TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar