South Korea 2025 Presidential Election Exit Poll Results

Exit polls project Lee will win around 50 pct of vote, leading Kim by at least 7.5 points

Exit polls from South Korea's three major broadcasters—KBS, MBC, and SBS—project that Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party is set to win the 2025 presidential election with a clear lead over his main rival, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party. The results, announced immediately after polls closed at 8 p.m. on June 3, are as follows:

• Lee Jae-myung (Democratic Party): 51.7%
• Kim Moon-soo (People Power Party): 39.3%
• Lee Jun-seok (New Reform Party): 7.7%
• Kwon Young-guk (Democratic Labor Party): 1.3%
• Song Jin-ho (Independent): 0.1%

The margin between Lee and Kim stands at 12.4 percentage points, putting Lee well outside the margin of error and making him the clear favorite to become the next president.

Additional Exit Polls

Other major broadcasters and polling agencies reported similar results:

• JTBC: Lee 50.6%, Kim 39.4%, Lee Jun-seok 7.9%
• Channel A: Lee 51.1%, Kim 38.9%, Lee Jun-seok 8.7%
• MBN: Lee 49.2%, Kim 41.7%, Lee Jun-seok 7.8%4

These consistent findings across multiple agencies reinforce the likelihood of Lee Jae-myung's victory.

Context and Significance

This snap election was called after the impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted following an attempt to impose martial law late last year. The political turmoil and public demand for change contributed to high voter turnout, with over 77% of eligible voters participating—a record figure for South Korea

Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential race, campaigned on promises of economic reform, social equity, and accountability for the previous administration's actions. His projected victory signals a shift in South Korean politics and is expected to have significant domestic and international implications

Reliability of Exit Polls

South Korean exit polls, particularly those conducted jointly by the major broadcasters, have a strong track record of accuracy. In the 2022 election, exit polls predicted the outcome within a fraction of a percentage point.