South Korea announced on Tuesday that a snap election will be held on June 3 to select a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office last week following his attempt to impose martial law.
The Constitutional Court formally dismissed Mr. Yoon on Friday, with all eight justices unanimously supporting his impeachment by the National Assembly in December.
In the wake of this political upheaval, South Korea is now focused on determining its next leader after months of turmoil that have tested the resilience of its democracy. By law, a new president must be elected within 60 days of the court's ruling.
The government confirmed June 3 as Election Day, designating it a national holiday to encourage voter participation.
In the upcoming days, rival political parties will schedule primary races to select their presidential candidates by May 12, when the official campaign will commence. The elected president will assume office immediately, bypassing the usual two-month transition period.
During this interim period, South Korea will continue to face external challenges, including President Donald J. Trump's 25 percent tariff on its goods, under the leadership of unelected interim Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party and a narrow loser in the 2022 election to Mr. Yoon, is widely expected to secure his party's nomination. Several other politicians have also expressed interest in joining the primary race.
Mr. Lee is anticipated to step down as party chairman soon to concentrate on his presidential campaign. Recent surveys indicate that a significant majority of South Koreans favor Mr. Lee as the next president, with a margin of approximately 25 percentage points. However, he is currently on trial for several criminal charges, including bribery, which he claims were politically motivated by Mr. Yoon's administration.
The future candidate for Mr. Yoon's conservative People Power Party remains uncertain, with over a dozen politicians, including Labor Minister Kim Moon Soo, showing interest in the race. No clear front-runner has emerged, partly due to the party's recent focus on retaining Mr. Yoon as president.
Mr. Yoon's removal marks a significant setback for the People Power Party, as he is the second conservative president to be ousted by impeachment and the third consecutive conservative president to face criminal indictment during or after their term.
The political crisis stemming from Mr. Yoon's controversial martial law and subsequent impeachment has left South Korea in a state of uncertainty, particularly as North Korea has intensified its nuclear ambitions and strengthened military ties with Russia.
While the Constitutional Court's unanimous ruling has alleviated some political uncertainty, the crisis has highlighted deep divisions within South Korea's polarized political landscape, which are expected to resurface during the presidential campaign.
In recent months, the People Power Party has adopted a narrative promoted by right-wing influencers and Mr. Yoon, alleging that parliamentary elections were manipulated with assistance from Chinese spies and that progressive leaders like Mr. Lee are “anti-state forces” colluding with North Korea and China to undermine South Korea's alliance with the United States.
In response, Mr. Lee's party has accused its conservative rival of conducting a smear campaign aimed at inciting fear and hatred while diverting attention from Mr. Yoon's controversial martial law actions.