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Presidential hopeful Lee vows to lead Korea through 'crisis'

Published: 11 Apr. 2025, 18:04

Former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, who announced his bid for the 21st presidential election, walks into a venue at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul to deliver a speech regarding his policy vision and campaign engagement schedule on April 11. [YONHAP]

Lee Jae-myung, a presidential hopeful for the liberal Democratic Party, said Friday that the next five years will be “a crucial turning point in Korea’s fate,” stressing that the country must transform itself into a globally recognized “first mover.”

“Although we brought down authoritarian power with the strength of the sovereign people, the challenges ahead are immense,” said Lee at the National Assembly building in Yeouido, western Seoul. “We must overcome national crises, restore livelihoods, peace and democracy, and revive a stagnant economy.”

Lee, the former Gyeonggi governor, declared his intent to lead Korea into a new era under what he called the "K-Initiative," pledging to turn crisis into opportunity and “pioneer a path where there was none before.”

To achieve this initiative, Lee urged a paradigm shift, saying that Korea “must move from imitation to initiative in order to survive in the harsh global battlefield.” Reflecting on Korea’s past, Lee said that Korea achieved industrialization despite “the pain of division and the devastation of war.”

“The formula for success was simple: learn and replicate proven strategies,” said Lee. ”The Korean people emulated advanced nations and worked tirelessly, giving rise to the miracle of the Han River.”

Former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, deliverㄴ a speech regarding his policy vision and campaign engagement schedule National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on April 11. [YONHAP]

However, Lee said that such strategies are now outdated.

“We are entering a new era of hyper-advanced science and civilization,” said Lee. “There are no longer any models to copy, nor are there definitive answers to follow.

“We must shift from a function-oriented society obsessed with quantitative growth to a value-centered society that pursues qualitative development.”

People watch former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung announce his run for the 21st presidential elections in a video footage released by his campaign team at Seoul Station in Jung District, central Seoul, on April 10. [NEWS1]

Lee emphasized that Korea must chart its own course, saying that Korea now needs to “lead the game ourselves.”

“Falling even a step behind turns us into a chaser vulnerable to elimination,” said Lee. “But by staying even half a step ahead, we become leaders with limitless opportunities.”

Lee also pointed to changes in the global landscape, saying that “no ideology or doctrine can stop the tide of our times.”

“A second Trump administration has already ushered in a new global war of protectionism,” said Lee. “Our internal ideological strife and factional conflicts pale in comparison to the survival challenges we now face.”

U.S. President Donald Trump is reflected in the bullet proof glass as he finishes speaking at a campaign rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 3, 2024. [AP/YONHAP]

The presidential hopeful called for a forward-looking, practical approach rooted in reality.

“Pragmatism that stands on reality while reaching for ideals will determine our future,” said Lee. “This presidential election must become the starting point for Korea’s levelling up — a new era of hope.”

Lee criticized the current administration, saying that in just three years under former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Korea's “democracy is facing its worst crisis.”

“Hard-won values like freedom and human rights are under threat,” said Lee. “Peace and security have been reduced to tools for political bickering, and the people are left to bear the cost.”

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol walks off the podium at a press conference held at the Blue House in Jongno District, central Seoul, on May 27, 2024. [YONHAP]

Lee said Korea has always turned crises into opportunities.

“For 5,000 years, ordinary people have fought back against incompetent and corrupt elites,” said Lee. “We never lost hope even under dictatorship. We resisted foreign invasions and ultimately won our freedom. Even the IMF crisis, once deemed the worst national disaster, became a chance for economic reform.”

He also lauded Korea’s democratic achievements.

“From the candlelight revolution to the revolution of light, Korea has become a global model of peaceful democratic transformation,” said Lee. “Despite the suffering of colonial rule, we nurtured the dream of becoming a cultural powerhouse. That dream laid the foundation for the global success of K-content.”

Former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung announces he will run for the 21st presidential elections in a video footage released by his campaign team on April 10. [NEWS1]

Lee expressed confidence that the Korean people are ready to forge a new path.

“We are prepared to close off the familiar old roads,” said Lee. “Ending internal strife is only the beginning. The miracle nation that achieved both industrialization and democratization will now rise above the turbulence of a survival-of-the-fittest world order and become a global standard.”

He concluded by reaffirming his campaign slogans, “The real Korea begins now” and “Now is the time for Lee Jae-myung,” vowing once again to be “a tool of the great people” in leading Korea through crisis and onto a path of renewal.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY LEE JI-YOUNG [[email protected]]