‘We know from history the fates of South Korean presidents from both parties haven’t been good’

Lee Jae-myung’s path to the presidency is marked by hardship and controversy. A former child laborer with a disabling arm injury, he survived a suicide attempt, pushed through university, and rose through the political ranks—despite surviving a stabbing and facing multiple criminal investigations. Now, at 60, the liberal Democratic Party candidate has been elected president, replacing his conservative rival Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted after a failed attempt to impose martial law. Lee’s election has divided the nation: supporters see a bold reformer ready to tackle inequality and corruption, while critics fear democratic backsliding. On France 24, Carys Garland welcomes Oxford University’s Professor of International Relations Edward Howell about what lies ahead for South Korea’s fractured democracy.