South Korea is set to hold a presidential election on June 3, according to the acting president, following the removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his controversial declaration of martial law. The nation has been without effective leadership since December when Yoon attempted to undermine civilian rule, leading to his impeachment and suspension from office.
The Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment last week, stripping him of power and triggering the need for new elections within 60 days. As a result, June 3 has been confirmed as the election day, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announcing that it will be a temporary public holiday to ensure smooth voting. Han emphasized the importance of preparing for a fair and transparent election.
The winner of the election will be sworn in immediately, with no transition period typical for presidential elections. For now, Prime Minister Han is acting as president, following the dismissal of his own impeachment.
The official campaign period will begin on May 12 and run until June 2. The leading candidate is opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who holds a 34% support rating, according to a Gallup poll. Lee, who previously lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential race, has made a political comeback and is now favored to win. Experts believe his chances are high, with a lack of strong competition in the field. Labour Minister Kim Moon-soo, from Yoon’s People Power Party, trails behind Lee in second place.
The country’s leadership vacuum began after Yoon’s martial law attempt, which was condemned by the Constitutional Court for deploying military forces for political purposes. Yoon is the second South Korean leader to face impeachment after Park Geun-hye in 2017. During this period of uncertainty, South Korea has also experienced significant challenges, including a deadly aviation disaster and catastrophic wildfires. Moreover, the country faces new trade issues, including tariffs on exports to the United States.
Yoon is also facing criminal charges related to the martial law incident.
