Following Yoon’s insurrection crisis and impeachment, Jaemyung Lee took over the administration as the new president on June 3, 2025. Just six months into his presidency, Lee has reshaped political discourse through bold gestures, polarizing policies, and headline-grabbing symbolism that kept me watching closely.
Here are five of President Lee’s most iconic moments of 2025:
1. The Baseball Pitch: During his campaign rallies, Lee hurled a baseball forward to symbolize resistance against Yoon’s martial law declaration. The exaggerated wind-up and sassy flick of his wrist quickly went viral, turning a political statement into a hilarious meme for politically engaged Gen Z voters.
2. Trial suspension bill: Soon after his election, Lee proposed a bill to suspend criminal trials for president-elects. This drew intense backlash, as Lee himself was facing multiple ongoing cases at the time.
3. The ₩250,000 promise: The Lee administration’s cash-aid policy to citizens divided public opinion. Supporters hailed it as economic relief, while critics warned it could strain national finances, making it one of his most controversial populist moves.
4. AI development agenda: Declaring Artificial Intelligence (AI) as national priority, Lee pledged up to 100 trillion won to propel South Korea into the world’s top three AI powers. I’m still looking closely at whether the fiscal deficit could keep up with his ambitious proposal.
5. Tariff talks with Trump: Lee’s tariff negotiation with Trump ended on an optimistic note. Korea pledged $350 billion in U.S. investment, while securing reduced tariffs (15%) on Korean cars and exemptions for specialized exports like aircraft parts. Despite prior concerns, Lee successfully navigated pragmatic diplomacy between the two global powers, the U.S. and China.
