Lee's First Test: What the Election Results Mean for S. Korea's New Government
South Korea’s local elections have offered the clearest test yet of President Lee Jae-myung’s first year in office. While Lee’s Democratic Party dominated most governor and mayoral races nationwide, the opposition People Power Party held onto Seoul in a closely watched contest that many viewed as a referendum on the president’s leadership. Days later, Lee unveiled a major cabinet reshuffle centered on artificial intelligence, technological innovation and economic transformation. At the same time, Seoul continues to navigate a complex foreign policy environment shaped by North Korea’s growing nuclear capabilities, US-China rivalry and shifting regional alliances. In this episode, we examine what the election results reveal about South Korea’s political landscape and what they mean for the country’s future at home and abroad. *Recorded on June 12, 2026 at 2:30pm Taiwan Standard Time Host: Wen-Ti Sung Producer: Chinyeh Chiang Our guests: Jacob Reidhead - National Chengchi University Asian Studies Assistant Professor Lee Jeong-Ho - Korea University War Archive Center Research Professor
