South Korea’s opposition leader Lee elected president in snap polls triggered by martial law

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung was elected the country’s president in the snap polls triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law.

With over 98% of the votes counted, Lee had secured more than 49%, while Kim Moon-soo of the outgoing ruling People Power Party received 41%, making it mathematically impossible for him to catch up, according to the vote data published by the public broadcaster KBS.

Lee’s rival conceded defeat even before the complete counting of the votes.

The snap polls were triggered when former President Yoon Suk Yeol, in a failed bid, imposed martial law last December, following which he was impeached by the parliament and subsequently ousted from office by South Korea's Constitutional Court in April.