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South Korea is set to conduct its 21st presidential election on June 3, as announced by the acting president following the impeachment of former president Yoon Suk Yeol. This significant political event comes in the wake of Yoon’s removal from office, which was primarily due to his controversial declaration of martial law.
During a press statement, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo confirmed the date for the presidential election and indicated that it will be recognized as a temporary public holiday to facilitate voter participation.
Yoon’s impeachment was confirmed by the constitutional court, which determined that he had breached his official duties by enacting a martial law decree on December 3 and deploying troops to disrupt parliamentary proceedings.
As per established legal guidelines, a new presidential election is mandated within 60 days when the presidency becomes vacant, prompting the need for an expeditious electoral process in South Korea.
The nation has been embroiled in a political crisis since Yoon’s unexpected martial law declaration led to his impeachment, along with the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. However, Han’s impeachment was later reversed by the constitutional court, allowing him to maintain his position as acting president until the election occurs.
This political instability presents challenges for South Korea, particularly in its relations with the United States, highlighted by the current administration’s engagement with President Donald Trump amid rising trade tariffs and economic slowdowns affecting the country.
Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition liberal Democratic Party, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the previous election cycle, emerges as a prominent candidate in the upcoming race. Nevertheless, he is grappling with several legal issues, facing multiple trials related to allegations of election law violations and bribery.
On the other side of the political spectrum, the ruling People Power Party features an open field of candidates. Kim Moon-soo, the Minister of Labor, has officially declared his intention to run for the presidency.
Recent polling data from a Gallup survey released on April 4 reveals that Lee Jae-myung leads the potential candidates with 34% support. In contrast, Kim Moon-soo receives 9%, followed by former ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon with 5%, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo with 4%, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon with 2% of the public’s backing.
With contributions from Reuters and Agence France-Presse
Source
www.theguardian.com