Lee, who was stabbed in the neck in January by a man pretending to be his supporter, rebounded from his 2022 presidential election loss to lead the DP with a pledge to “punish” Yoon through polls.
He had long called for the parliamentary elections to serve as a referendum on the president, saying the vote allowed “the people to decide whether the government should keep the power or be punished over its two-year governance”.
“STRONG ANGER”
The rise of a newly formed Rebuilding Korea party, led by former justice minister Cho Kuk, which is projected to win 12 to 14 seats, also shows the scale of voter discontent with the two main parties, experts say.
“The figures today represent strong anger of the people at Yoon for his two-year governance,” said political analyst Yum Seung-yul, adding the key question now was “whether Yoon will change his governing style for the remainder of his term”.
For years, Lee has sought to emphasise the stark contrast between his life story and that of Yoon, who was raised in an affluent family.
While he was running for president, his campaign published two photographs: One showed a floppy-haired young Lee in an ill-fitting suit and the other a teenage Yoon in a bow tie.
He also promoted policies including cash handouts to young adults, free school uniforms and free maternity care, and has previously vowed to expand his universal basic income scheme nationwide as president.
Such proposals have found support in South Korea, amid growing worries about inequality, sky-high housing prices and youth unemployment.
“I escaped poverty, but many around me are still stuck … I want to change the system,” he told AFP before the 2022 election.
But his opponents accuse him of being a populist who will pile on debt to pay for these schemes.
Source: CNA
