South Korea Sets June 3 Election to Replace Ousted Leader Yoon Suk Yeol

South Korea is gearing up for a presidential election on June 3 to select a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was recently removed from office, according to an announcement Tuesday by acting leader Han Duck-soo. The snap election follows the Constitutional Court’s decision to oust Yoon due to his controversial attempt to impose martial law in December.

The upcoming vote is poised to reflect the nation’s stark political divide, with analysts anticipating a head-to-head clash between the conservative People Power Party, previously led by Yoon, and its main liberal opponent, the Democratic Party. Political observers are closely watching whether the conservatives can rally behind a formidable candidate to challenge Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party’s probable nominee.

For the ruling People Power Party, retaining control of the presidency will be a steep challenge. The party is grappling with a fractured base and a loss of public trust following Yoon’s failed martial law bid, which has left it scrambling to rebuild credibility ahead of the June 3 showdown.