S. Korea’s presidential front-runner ranked among Time’s 100 most influential people of 2025

South Korea’s presidential front-runner Lee Jae-myung has ranked among U.S. magazine Time’s 100 most influential people of 2025, its website showed Wednesday.

The magazine chose Lee, former chief of the Democratic Party, in the category of leaders, offering a brief story of challenges he encountered during his early life and rise up the political ladder, and casting him as the “clear favorite” to win the June 3 presidential poll.

Charlie Campbell, its editor at large, introduced his tough early life, noting that, born the fifth of seven children to a farming family, he walked 10 miles round trip to elementary school daily and later had his wrist crushed in a pressing machine while working underage in a factory.

The editor also stressed that “nothing” about Lee’s political rise has been easy.

“After stints as a mayor and governor, Lee lost South Korea’s 2022 presidential election to Yoon Suk Yeol, and was stabbed in the neck two years later by a deranged critic,” Campbell wrote. “Now, the unlikely arc of Lee’s story seems poised to end with his becoming his country’s next leader.”

The editor pointed out that Lee led the charge for Yoon’s impeachment following the then president’s surprise martial law declaration in December. The Constitutional Court ruled to remove him from office earlier this month, setting the stage for the presidential vote.

“As leader of South Korea’s opposition, Lee is the clear favorite to win the coming election, though his reward will be dealing with an increasingly belligerent North Korea and an escalating trade war,” Campbell said.

Citing a quote from a 2022 interview with Lee, he also said that given the challenges Lee has already overcome, there is “little chance Lee is cowed.”

“There are many ways that you can learn about the world,” Lee was quoted as saying. “But actually living it yourself, experiencing it, is a different thing.”

A survey showed Monday that Lee was leading the race for the presidency of South Korea with nearly 49 percent support.