Seoul: South Korea will hold a snap presidential election on June 3, the government announced, following the dramatic ousting of President Yoon Suk Yeol by the Constitutional Court last week.
The cabinet approved the election date after consultations with the National Election Commission, as the process requires designating the day as a public holiday.
Yoon was removed from office after the court found him guilty of violating constitutional duties by declaring martial law on December 3 and deploying military forces in an effort to halt parliamentary proceedings.
Under South Korean law, a presidential election must be held within 60 days of a vacancy in the presidency.
The unprecedented move plunged the nation into months of political uncertainty, compounded by the temporary impeachment of acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who briefly assumed the role of acting president.
While Han’s impeachment was later overturned by the Constitutional Court, he remained the interim leader until the June election.
The power vacuum at the heart of government has hindered Seoul’s ability to address urgent diplomatic and economic challenges, including rising US tariffs under President Donald Trump’s administration and weakening growth in Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
The political crisis, sparked by Yoon’s surprise martial law declaration, has dominated the public discourse, with protests and public outcry prompting swift legislative and judicial action.
Yoon’s removal marked the first time in South Korean history that a sitting president was ousted over a martial law decree.
