South Korea to Hold Snap Election in June After President Yoon’s Impeachment

South Korea will hold a snap presidential election on June 3 to elect a successor to Yoon Suk-yeol, who was recently removed from office following his controversial declaration of martial law, Al Jazeera reports.

Acting President Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced the election date on Tuesday, citing the need for “smooth election operations” and sufficient preparation time for political parties.

The decision follows the Constitutional Court’s unanimous ruling on Friday upholding the legislature’s impeachment of Yoon. The court found that the conservative leader had exceeded his presidential authority when he briefly declared martial law in December.

Under South Korean law, a presidential election must be held within 60 days of a president’s removal from office.

Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3 sent shockwaves through South Korea, a nation that transitioned to democracy in 1987. He claimed the move was necessary to overcome political obstructionism and “anti-state” forces. The sight of soldiers confronting lawmakers at the National Assembly evoked memories of past military dictatorships. Yoon rescinded the martial law declaration within hours after the National Assembly voted unanimously to overturn it.

Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party is currently considered the frontrunner in the upcoming election, although he faces several trials related to corruption and other charges.

Prime Minister Han will continue to serve as acting president until the election concludes. The political turmoil comes at a sensitive time for South Korea’s export-reliant economy.

Adding to the economic uncertainty, United States President Donald Trump recently announced a 25 percent tariff on South Korean imports as part of his “liberation day” trade measures. While some sectors like semiconductors were exempted, the South Korean auto industry is grappling with a separate 25 percent tariff that went into effect last week. Cars and vehicles are South Korea’s largest export to the US, accounting for 27 percent of the $127.8 billion in US-bound exports in 2024.

South Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo departed for Washington on Tuesday to negotiate potential relief from Trump’s tariffs.