South Korea will hold an early presidential election on 3 June to elect the successor to Yoon Suk Yeol, , announced the country’s acting leader on Tuesday.
The former president was impeached on 4 April after his failed attempt to impose martial law.
Following months of political instability, the current government has decided to hold the 21st South Korean presidential election on 3 June. This was according to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in a Cabinet meeting, adding that the day will be a public holiday to encourage voter turnout.
Following Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, the Constitutional Court mandated a presidential election within 60 days. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, is seen as the frontrunner.
Other potential candidates, particularly from Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP), lag significantly behind in the polls.
South Korea has been without an official president since mid-December.
During the night of 3-4 December, Yoon unsuccessfully attempted to enforce martial law by deploying the military to block Parliament, which is dominated by the opposition. However, enough lawmakers gathered to thwart the coup, shocking the nation.
Yoon was subsequently suspended, arrested, detained, charged with insurrection, and ultimately impeached after nearly four months of legal proceedings.
He was released on 8 March due to procedural errors after spending around fifty days in prison, although he still faces criminal charges. Insurrection is punishable by death.
