Life Summary
Lee Jae-myung is the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

In the April 2024 general elections, the DPK secured a majority in the National Assembly. Lee is now striving to strongly check the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and improve the lives of ordinary people through legislative actions on the livelihood economy.

He is also focused on presenting policy agendas and garnering public support to achieve a change of government by winning the 2027 presidential election.

Born on December 22, 1964, in a rural village in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, he was the fifth of seven siblings.

Due to financial difficulties, he could not attend middle and high school.

After moving to Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, he worked as a "young laborer" at the Sangdaewon Industrial Complex for five years.

He passed middle and high school equivalency exams and entered Chung-Ang University as a scholarship student in the law department.

Upon graduating from university, he passed the bar exam and began his career as a human rights lawyer. He entered politics by participating in the movement to establish Seongnam City Medical Center.

He joined the Uri Party and ran for mayor of Seongnam but was unsuccessful. Ahead of the presidential election, he served as the Deputy Chief Secretary for Candidate Chung Dong-young but failed to secure a seat in Bundang Gap, Seongnam during the general elections.

He ran again in the 5th local elections and was elected mayor of Seongnam, securing re-election. Implementing bold welfare policies such as the "three free welfare policies," he rose to prominence as a "star mayor" and challenged for the DPK's presidential candidacy but did not pass the party primary.

In the 7th local elections, he ran as the DPK candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province and was elected.

In 2021, he defeated former leader Lee Nak-yon in the DPK presidential primary but lost to Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party in the 2022 presidential election.

After running in the Incheon Gyeyang-gu by-election and winning, he was elected leader of the DPK at the party convention.

In April 2024, he was re-elected in Incheon Gyeyang-gu in the general elections.

In June 2024, he resigned as the leader of the DPK, hinting at a challenge for re-election as party leader.

Known for his outspoken remarks, he has earned the nickname "Cider." His proactive welfare policies and straightforward statements have been polarizing.