South Korea's Lee wins ruling party primary in presidential race overshadowed by scandal
Record ID:
1640923
South Korea's Lee wins ruling party primary in presidential race overshadowed by scandal
- Title: South Korea's Lee wins ruling party primary in presidential race overshadowed by scandal
- Date: 10th October 2021
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (OCTOBER 10, 2021) (REUTERS) LEE JAE-MYUNG, THE GOVERNOR OF GYEONGGI PROVINCE, WALKING UP ON STAGE WITH OTHER CANDIDATES FOR SOUTH KOREA'S RULING DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION LEE AND OTHER CANDIDATES RAISING THEIR HANDS
- Embargoed: 24th October 2021 13:04
- Keywords: Lee Jae-myung March South Korea election politics presidential candidate ruling party
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001EYKQEKN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Lee Jae-myung became the presidential candidate for South Korea's ruling party on Sunday (October 10), hoping to overcome a property scandal and gather national support while conservative opponents trade barbs over anal acupuncture and fortune-tellers.
Lee, governor of Gyeonggi province and a party outsider often critical of incumbent President Moon Jae-in sealed his victory in the primary to represent the Democratic Party in the March 9 presidential election. Moon cannot stand for re-election under Korean law.
The leading contender among a fractured field from the main conservative People Power Party, Yoon Seok-youl, has been caught up in scandals of his own - including murky ties to an anal acupuncturist - and criticism he relies on fortune-tellers.
Lee secured 50.29% of the votes in an 11-round primary that ended on Sunday. His closest rival and initially the establishment favourite, former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, finished with 39.14%.
His outsider image was once seen as a liability in the face of establishment competitors with closer ties to the outgoing Moon, but Lee rose to prominence with an aggressive pandemic response and a populist economic agenda.
Dogged by a scandal involving a residential development plan when he was mayor of Seongnam in 2015, Lee used his acceptance speech to pledge progress on policy issues, including a push for universal basic income and more affordable housing amid skyrocketing property prices.
(Production: Daewoung Kim, Heejung Jung) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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