General
South Korea Sets New Presidential Election for June 3
Polls show the main opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, is the front-runner to replace Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office for declaring martial law.
South Korea said on Tuesday that it would hold a snap election on June 3 to choose the successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed last week for his attempt to impose martial law.
The country’s Constitutional Court formally dismissed Mr. Yoon on Friday when its eight justices unanimously endorsed his impeachment by the National Assembly in December.
South Korea has since shifted its focus to the question of who should lead the country after months of political turmoil that have tested the resilience of its democracy and weakened its leadership. By law, South Korea must elect a new president within 60 days of the court’s ruling.
On Monday, the government confirmed June 3 as Election Day, designating it as a national holiday to encourage voter turnout.
In the coming days, the rival political parties will schedule primary races to select their presidential candidates by May 12, when the official campaign will start. Whoever wins the election will assume office immediately — without the country’s typical two-month transition period.
Until then, South Korea must continue to deal with external challenges — including President Donald J. Trump’s sweeping 25 percent tariff on its goods — under an unelected interim leader, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.
