South Korea Currently Electing New President After Former President’s Impeachment
South Koreans headed to the polls Tuesday in a snap presidential election, concluding months of political upheaval following former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial imposition of martial law and subsequent impeachment.
Polling stations opened early at 6:00 a.m. local time across the country, including in Seoul’s Munrae-dong district, where voters, including elderly citizens, lined up to cast their ballots. “We were the first to arrive with the hope our candidate gets elected,” said 80-year-old Yu Bun-dol, a supporter of the conservative People Power Party.
Millions had already participated in the two-day early voting period last week, with more than one-third of registered voters casting ballots, according to the National Election Commission.
The election is widely regarded as a referendum on the conservative administration led by Yoon, who was impeached after deploying troops to parliament—a move that drew widespread condemnation and political crisis. The conservative People Power Party now faces a deep crisis, with many moderates and core supporters expressing disillusionment.
Leading the race is liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, who holds a significant lead in most opinion polls. A recent Gallup survey showed 49% of respondents favoring Lee, compared to 35% for conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo. Lee’s party also controls a majority in the National Assembly.
Political experts say the fallout from the imposition of martial law, which left South Korea effectively leaderless for months, is the top concern for voters. “Polls show the election is largely viewed as a referendum on the previous administration,” said Kang Joo-hyun, political science professor at Sookmyung Women’s University.
The conservative camp has also struggled to unite, with Kim Moon-soo’s failure to form an alliance with Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok raising fears of a divided right-wing vote. This election marks the second time in under a decade a conservative president has been removed from office, following Park Geun-hye’s ousting in 2017, severely damaging the conservative image.
Unlike regular elections, the winner of this snap vote will assume office immediately after results certification by the National Election Commission. Many South Koreans, weary of interim leadership, hope the election will restore stability.
In Gwangju, a liberal stronghold, retired teacher Jung Se-yoon called the election a critical moment for the country’s future. “It will take far too long for the country to get back on its feet if we miss this chance,” she said.
Voter turnout is expected to be high, with observers closely watching not just for who wins, but by what margin. “The focus won’t be on whether Lee will win, but whether he secures more than 50% of the vote,” said Bae Kang-hoon, co-founder of political think tank Valid. “A majority win would give him significant momentum to govern effectively.”
South Korean presidents serve a single five-year term. The outcome of today’s election will chart the course of the nation after one of the most turbulent chapters in its democratic history.
