Lee Jae-myung is a South Korean politician, currently holds a position as a member of the National Assembly and serves as the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. In the 2022 South Korean presidential election, he was the nominee of the Democratic Party. Previously, Lee served as the 35th Governor of Gyeonggi Province from 2018 to 2021.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 59 years
Height- 1.82 m
Weight- 74 kg
Born- 22 December 1964
Birthplace- Andong-si, South Korea
Spouse-Kim Hye-gyeong (m. 1991)
Profession-Politician, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea
Nationality- Korean, South Korean
Party-Democratic Party of Korea
Previous offices-Governor of Gyeonggi Province (2018–2021), Mayor of Seongnam (2010–2018)
Office-Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea since 2022
Parents
Lee Jae-myung was born on December 22, 1964, in Andong. He is the fifth of seven children, and unfortunately, details about his parents are not available.
Wife
He tied the knot with Kim Hye-gyeong in 1991, They have two children.
Education
After graduating from Chung-Ang University and Gachon University, Lee pursued a career in law and became a lawyer.
Career
During his childhood, he engaged in illegal employment at a rubber factory, despite being underage. Unfortunately, he suffered a finger injury in one work accident. In another workplace incident, an industrial press crushed his wrist joint, resulting in an untreated injury that led to a disability in his arm. Consequently, he is registered as a disabled person.
Political Career
On August 23, 2005, Lee joined the then-ruling Uri Party, a precursor to the Democratic Party of Korea, and announced his candidacy for Seongnam mayor. Despite running in the 2006 local elections, he faced defeat with only 23.75% of the vote, attributed to negative public sentiment towards the Uri Party and the Roh administration. In the 2007 presidential election, Lee served as the senior deputy chief of the Office of the Presidential Candidate Chung Dong-young of the Grand Unified Democratic New Party. Seeking a nomination in the 2008 general election for the Seongnam Jungwon A constituency, he was defeated by Cho Sung-jun in the primary election and was nominated in the Seongnam Bundang A constituency. Following the 2008 election, Lee assumed the role of the Democratic Party’s deputy spokesperson, as requested by party leader Chung Sye-kyun.
Lee served as the Mayor of Seongnam, the tenth-largest city in South Korea, from 2010 to 2018. As a member of the center-liberal Democratic Party, he became the Governor of Gyeonggi Province in 2018. Lee gained widespread recognition during his governorship for his effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July 2021, Lee declared his candidacy for the presidency of South Korea in the 2022 election. Initially considered a front-runner and leading in many polls until late 2021, he ultimately lost the election to the conservative former prosecutor Yoon Suk-yeol by a narrow margin of votes in March 2022.
Corruption Probe Involving Lee Jae-myung
Since late 2022, Lee has been under scrutiny in a corruption investigation. Allegations suggest that during his tenure as Seongnam’s mayor, he received donations from businesses and granted them favors. On January 10, 2023, he faced questioning at the prosecutor’s office, marking the first instance of an opposition leader being questioned in a criminal case since South Korea’s transition to democracy.
In February 2023, a motion for Lee Jae-myung’s arrest, reapproved by the prosecution, faced rejection in the National Assembly, despite significant dissent within the party.
In September 2023, Seoul prosecutors pursued another motion for Lee’s arrest on corruption charges related to special favors for a land developer in Seongnam. On September 21, the Democratic-majority National Assembly approved the motion with a 149-136 vote, marking the first arrest of an opposition leader since the democratic transition. However, on September 27, 2023, the Seoul Central District Court rejected the arrest warrant, leading to Lee’s release.
Lee Jae-myung’s Controversies
“Unanswered Questions,” a Seoul Broadcasting System investigative journalism program, raised concerns about potential connections between the local Mafia in Seongnam City, Lee Jae-myung, and Eun Su-mi, Lee’s successor as mayor.
During the 2018 gubernatorial election, actress Kim Boo-sun claimed to have had an affair with Lee from 2007 to 2009.
In the 2018 Gyeonggi gubernatorial election, Rep. Jeon Hae-cheol filed a complaint against the Twitter account @08_hkkim for spreading false information related to elections. The police believed the account belonged to Lee’s spouse, but prosecutors dropped the case due to a lack of evidence.
In July 2020, the Supreme Court acquitted Lee of violating campaign law during a television debate for Gyeonggi provincial governor. Despite acknowledging that Lee lied about attempting to admit his brother to a psychiatric hospital, the court, considering freedom of expression during political campaigns, concluded that Lee did not “actively” distort the facts, thereby not breaching campaign law. Lee had legal representation, including two former Supreme Court justices.
Lee Jae-myung Net Worth 2024
As of 2024, Lee Jae-myung’s estimated net worth or net income ranges from $1 million to $7 million.
Lee Jae-myung Stabbed in Neck During Busan Visit
South Korea’s opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, was stabbed in the neck during a visit to Busan. Despite narrowly losing the 2022 presidential election, Mr. Lee sustained a 1cm laceration on the left side of his neck, described as not life-threatening. The 66-year-old assailant, expressing intent to kill Mr. Lee, initiated the attack during a news conference at a construction site. The motive for the assault remains unclear. The attacker, armed with an 18cm knife purchased online, asked for an autograph before abruptly stabbing Mr. Lee. Swiftly overpowered and arrested, the assailant faces attempted murder charges. The shocking incident drew condemnation from various political figures, including President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Videos and images of the attack circulated on social media, capturing the moment Mr. Lee collapsed and the immediate aftermath with bystanders restraining the assailant. Prosecutors are set to pursue legal action against the attacker.
A spokesperson for Mr. Lee’s party revealed that medical professionals suspected injury to his jugular vein, a critical blood vessel transporting blood from the head to the heart. Due to concerns about potential further bleeding, Mr. Lee is anticipated to undergo surgery, as stated by the party’s spokesperson, Kwon Chil-seung.
“After being transferred to Seoul National University Hospital, we plan to operate quickly. We strongly condemn the attack and consider it a clear act of democracy destruction,” he said.
