What to Know About South Korea's Snap Presidential Election

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - South Korea is gearing up for a snap presidential election on June 3, 2025, following the ousting of former President Yoon Suk Yeol by the Constitutional Court.

What prompted the election?

The upcoming presidential election was prompted by the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol in early April 2025 after imposing a short-lived martial law on December 3, 2024.

Yoon's actions were declared a violation of the country's constitution as he attempted to forcibly disrupt the parliamentary process. The Constitutional Court then impeached Yoon and decided that a replacement election should take place within 60 days.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was appointed interim president in the wake of the political chaos Yoon unleashed, and his own impeachment was initially filed but later canceled by the Court.

Official campaign period kicked off on May 12, and the voting is scheduled for June 3.

Tight race between key figures

The election on Tuesday shows a tight race between two strong figures from opposing political spectrums: Lee Jae-myung from the liberal Democratic Party and Kim Moon-soo from the conservative right-wing People Power Party.

Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential race, is the frontrunner in the upcoming election. He has garnered sympathy after surviving a stabbing attempt and his consistent opposition to Yoon's martial law.

His campaign emphasizes AI-based economic growth and popular culture, as well as a more balanced diplomatic position between the US and China.

However, Lee still faces legal uncertainty. South Korea's Supreme Court recently overturned his acquittal in a case of alleged false statements during the 2022 campaign. Although the retrial has been postponed until after the election, if found guilty, Lee could lose his parliamentary seat and be banned from running for 10 years.

Kim Moon-soo, a former Minister of Labor in Yoon's government, became the official conservative candidate after overcoming internal party conflicts. He resigned from his position and declared that his candidacy is a response to the people's calling. Kim pledged to create new jobs and restore public trust in state institutions. Despite opposing Yoon's impeachment, Kim is attempting to garner support from disappointed conservative voters.

Other candidates

Aside from the two main figures, there is Ahn Cheol-soo, a PPP parliament member who also declared his candidacy. Ahn presents himself as a "clean" candidate and promises to drive AI-based economic innovation and resist trade pressure from Donald Trump's administration in the US.

Former People Power Party Chair Lee Jun-seok is also running through the New Reform Party. Having supported Yoon in the past, he is now distancing himself and has garnered 9 percent support in early May polls, below Lee (47 percent) and Kim (33 percent).

Heated presidential debates

The first of the three presidential debates on television showed differences in the candidates' attitudes toward foreign policy. Lee Jae-myung was criticized for being perceived as too soft on China after stating that South Korea should not interfere in the China-Taiwan conflict. He emphasized the need for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a balanced alliance with the US.

Meanwhile, Kim emphasized a pro-US stance and the need to strengthen national defense. He also highlighted the need for stability to attract investment and reduce South Korea's dependence on exports to China.

Sita Planasari, Dicky Kurniawan MP, and Savero Aristia Wienanto contributed to the writing of this article.

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