If you haven't checked the headlines in Seoul lately, things have moved fast. Like, "blink and you'll miss a whole constitutional crisis" fast. If you search for the leader of South Korea today, the name you’ll find is Lee Jae-myung.
But honestly? Getting to that name involves a story so wild it feels more like a Netflix political thriller than actual 2026 reality.
For a long time, the answer was Yoon Suk-yeol. But after a chaotic attempt to declare martial law in late 2024—complete with troops at the National Assembly and lawmakers climbing fences to vote against him—the political landscape in Korea shifted forever. Yoon was impeached, and by June 2025, a snap election put Lee Jae-myung in the Blue House (or rather, back in the Blue House, but we'll get to that).
Who is Lee Jae-myung?
Lee isn't your typical polished politician. He’s a guy with a "hardscrabble" backstory that he talks about a lot. Basically, he grew up in poverty, worked in factories as a kid, and even has a permanently disabled arm from a workplace accident. He skipped middle and high school, passed the bar exam on his own, and became a human rights lawyer.
This "outsider" vibe is his whole brand.
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People call him a populist. Some mean it as a compliment; others use it as a warning. He made a name for himself as the Mayor of Seongnam and the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, where he pushed for things like universal basic income. He actually lost the 2022 election to Yoon Suk-yeol by the narrowest margin in the history of the country—less than 1%.
Fast forward to 2026, and he's now the guy trying to steady the ship after the "Martial Law Crisis" nearly sank it.
The current state of the presidency
Right now, Lee Jae-myung is navigating a Korea that is, frankly, pretty exhausted.
As of January 2026, the big news isn't just what Lee is doing—it's what's happening to the former leader. While Lee is out meeting with world leaders, his predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol, is currently on trial for insurrection. Just today, on January 13, 2026, prosecutors actually requested the death penalty for Yoon.
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That’s the kind of high-stakes environment the leader of South Korea is dealing with.
What is Lee actually doing?
It’s not all courtrooms and drama. Lee has been busy trying to pivot Korea’s foreign policy. He recently visited China to "fully restore" relations that had gotten pretty frosty under the previous administration. He also met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to talk about AI and economic security.
One of his first major moves was actually moving the presidential office back to Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House). Yoon had moved it to a defense ministry building in Yongsan, which was a whole controversy in itself. Lee moved back in December 2025, saying it was about "returning to tradition" and making the government feel less like a military compound.
Why this matters for the rest of the world
South Korea isn't just a place that makes cool phones and catchy music. It's a massive economy and a key U.S. ally sitting right next to North Korea and China.
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When you ask who is the leader of South Korea, you’re asking who holds the button on regional stability. Lee is a "progressive pragmatist." This means he’s trying to keep the U.S. happy while not making an enemy out of China. It’s a delicate dance. He’s also pushing for a four-and-a-half-day work week—which sounds great until you realize how much the massive Korean conglomerates (the Chaebols) hate the idea.
Key Policies of the Lee Administration:
- Economic Reform: He's trying to tackle the "Korea Discount" by making company managers more accountable to minority shareholders, not just the founding families.
- Housing: There’s a new cap on housing-backed loans in Seoul to try and stop the soul-crushing rise in real estate prices.
- Foreign Policy: A shift toward "national interest" diplomacy, meaning more engagement with Beijing than we saw over the last few years.
Misconceptions about the Korean leadership
One thing people get wrong is thinking the President of South Korea has absolute power. They don't.
The National Assembly is incredibly powerful and often controlled by the opposition. Lee knows this better than anyone; his own party, the Democratic Party, used their majority to check Yoon for years. Now, Lee has the majority, but he’s still facing massive pushback from the conservative bloc and legal headaches that have followed him for years.
Yes, Lee has his own scandals. There have been investigations into land development deals from his time as mayor. His supporters say it’s a political witch hunt; his critics say he’s no better than the people he replaced.
Actionable insights: Staying updated on Korean politics
If you’re watching Korea for business or travel, here’s how to stay ahead of the curve:
- Watch the Courts: The verdict for former President Yoon is expected in February 2026. Whatever happens there will cause ripples in the streets.
- Monitor the "Four-Day Work Week" progress: If this actually passes, it will change the labor market in East Asia forever.
- Follow the Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae) briefings: Since the move back to the traditional headquarters, the communication style has become slightly more formal but more frequent.
- Track the KRW (Korean Won): Political stability is the #1 driver of the currency right now. If the trial of the former president leads to more protests, expect volatility.
The situation with the leader of South Korea is still evolving. Lee Jae-myung is currently the man in charge, but in a country where presidents frequently end up in prison (or facing the death penalty), "leadership" is always a high-wire act.