SEOUL, South Korea: Lee Jae-myung, a liberal South Korean politician, is leading in the polls ahead of the June 3 snap presidential election. His rise to the top has been anything but ordinary. From a poor childhood working in factories to becoming a human rights lawyer and governor, Lee has overcome many personal and political challenges.

Lee, 61, was recently chosen as the Democratic Party's candidate. He previously ran for president in 2022 and narrowly lost to Yoon Suk Yeol. After Yoon declared a brief martial law in December 2024, the Constitutional Court removed him from office.

Shortly after, he told Reuters the crisis was like a "virus" that had infiltrated the South Korean system and that he was dedicated to eradicating it.

"We have to focus on removing the virus," he said. "With proper, rapid treatment, we will recover, and through the process, our nation and democracy will become even stronger."

Lee's personal story is powerful. Born into a poor farming family in a mountain village, he worked in chemical factories as a child, which affected his health. This experience shaped his views on economic fairness. As a lawyer, he fought for workers' rights and then entered politics, becoming mayor of Seongnam in 2010 and governor of Gyeonggi Province in 2018.

Although considered an outsider, Lee's message of fairness and equality won support, especially as many South Koreans grew frustrated with high housing costs, low job prospects, and corruption scandals. After losing the 2022 election, Lee became the prominent opposition leader.

His path has not been without trouble. He has faced several legal challenges. In January 2024, a man stabbed Lee in the neck, trying to stop him from becoming president. The attacker is now in prison.

Lee was also convicted of breaking election law, but a court delay has allowed him to run. He was cleared of a separate charge of forcing a witness to lie, though prosecutors are appealing.

Lee has denied all charges.

His other trials include one involving a $1-billion property development scandal and another linked to an alleged scheme to use an underwear company to transfer funds to North Korea and facilitate a visit to Pyongyang when he was a provincial governor.

If elected, he plans to ease tensions in South Korea's divided politics, improve the economy, and work with U.S. President Donald Trump while taking a softer approach to North Korea and building better ties with China and Russia.