THE SOUTH Korean government has announced readiness to hold its presidential election on June 3, following the removal of former leader Yoon Suk Yeol from office after a controversial declaration of martial law.
The country’s acting President, who is the Prime Minister, Han Duck-soo, announced this on Tuesday, adding that it would be declared a temporary public holiday to facilitate voting.
The ICIR reports that the democratic nation has effectively been without leadership since December 2024, when former President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to undermine civilian authority but was swiftly impeached by lawmakers and suspended from office.
Yeol’s suspension resulted in Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepping in as acting president over the past few months.
The country’s Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment last week, Friday, April 4, officially removing him from office and prompting new elections, which are required to take place within 60 days.
In his latest announcement, Duck-soo said on Tuesday that the chosen date considers “the need to ensure smooth election operations and provide adequate time for political parties to prepare.”.
Duck-soo urged government ministries and the National Election Commission to “make thorough preparations to deliver an election that is fairer, more transparent than ever, and capable of earning the people’s trust.”
The ICIR reports that hat the winner of the election will be sworn in the very next day, unlike in other climes, where the president-elect usually has a two-month transition period.
Yoon’s Labour Minister, Kim Moon-soo, is among the few contenders who have expressed interest in running, noting that he resigned from his position on Tuesday to launch his campaign.
Although not currently an official member of Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP), Kim has been outperforming other conservative candidates in recent polls.
“I tendered my resignation and decided to run because the people want it, people I know want it, and I feel a sense of responsibility to solve national difficulties,” Kim told reporters.
Economic conditions during a “severe national crisis” are hurting people’s livelihoods, he said.
“I thought that all politicians and people should unite to overcome the crisis and work together to help the country develop further,” Kim said.
PPP lawmaker and the first in the party to support Yoon’s impeachment, Ahn Cheol-soo, also announced his candidacy on Tuesday, claiming he is “a cleaner candidate than anyone else.”
He also pledged to drive new economic growth by investing in areas like artificial intelligence, aiming to counter Trump’s trade policies.
Recall that Ahn contested the last three presidential elections, securing over 21 per cent of the popular vote in 2017, but withdrew and endorsed other candidates in the two subsequent elections.
Kim and Ahn will enter a highly competitive field of conservative candidates seeking to overcome their party’s second impeachment in consecutive presidencies.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.