During Yoon's six hours of martial law on December 3, Lee climbed the National Assembly's walls to avoid security cordons deployed on Yoon's orders. He livestreamed his exploit, urging viewers to come to parliament and demonstrate to prevent the arrest of lawmakers.

South Korea's former president Moon Jae-in said on Friday that prosecutors were becoming political and abusing their power and that his indictment on bribery charges was a good example. South Korean prosecutors indicted Moon for alleged bribery on Thursday,

Lee Jae-myung, a liberal who wants greater economic parity in South Korea and warmer ties with North Korea, became the main opposition party's presidential candidate Sunday, solidifying his position as front-runner to succeed recently ousted conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol.