Overview

• The South Korean government has officially scheduled a snap presidential election for June 3, 2025, following the Constitutional Court's removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol last week.
• Yoon was impeached and removed from office for declaring martial law and deploying troops to disrupt parliamentary proceedings, actions deemed unconstitutional by the court.
• Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, whose own impeachment was overturned, is serving as acting president and has called for a transparent and fair election process.
• Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, despite ongoing legal challenges, leads the polls with 34% support, positioning him as the likely successor to Yoon.
• The election winner will assume office immediately, bypassing the usual two-month transition period, to address the ongoing governance vacuum and political instability.