John AdoyiMillions of South Koreans have turned out to vote in a pivotal presidential election to choose a successor to impeached leader Yoon Suk-Yeol.
Suk-Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024 plunged the country into a political crisis that nearly brought the nation to its knees.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe election was called in April after the Supreme Court upheld Suk-Yeol’s impeachment, marking a dramatic fall for the conservative leader who took office in 2022. The National Election Commission reported that voting began at 6 a.m. local time across 14,295 polling stations nationwide, with polls closing at 8 p.m. Observers predict the winner could be announced as early as midnight.
A Tight Race Among Top Contenders
Six candidates are vying for the presidency, but recent opinion polls highlight a three-way contest. According to a Gallup Korea survey released last week, liberal Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung leads with 49% support, followed by conservative Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party at 35%, and another conservative, Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party, trailing at 11%.
Lee Jae-myung, who lost the 2022 election to Yoon and later spearheaded his impeachment, has campaigned on promises to revive the economy, reduce inequality, and heal national divisions. In his final rally on Monday, he framed the election as a choice between progress and a return to authoritarianism.
“If they somehow win, that would mean the return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy, the deprival of people’s human rights, the normalization of martial law, and our country’s downfall into a backward, third-world nation,” Lee told supporters at a Seoul park.
READ ALSO: South Korea Sets June 3 For Presidential Election Following Yoon’s Ouster
Meanwhile, Kim Moon-soo, a former labour minister under Yoon, warned that a Lee victory would concentrate too much power in the presidency, given the Democratic Party’s control of parliament.
“Lee is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship,” Kim declared at a rally.
Over 15 million voters—nearly 35% of the 44.4 million eligible—already cast their ballots during early voting last week, signaling intense public interest in the election.
The winner will be sworn in by Wednesday, bypassing the usual two-month transition period, and will serve a single five-year term. Analysts say the new president will face immediate challenges, including economic instability, Trump’s tariffs, political polarization, and restoring trust in government after the turmoil of Yoon’s impeachment.
