South Korea at the Center of a Political Storm: The New President Will Be Chosen Amid the Deepest Constitutional Crisis in the Last Decade
On June 3rd, an important and tense pre-election campaign began in South Korea, which will determine the future leader of the country amid extremely challenging political conditions. The elections are taking place on the eve of significant reforms in the system of power, which emerged against the backdrop of the high-profile and controversial impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol. His resignation was the logical culmination of a series of political upheavals caused by an unsuccessful attempt to introduce a martial law regime at the end of 2024, which resonated broadly within the country and beyond. In the early hours, at 6:00 am local time, polling stations across the country opened their doors and began work until 8:00 pm. According to the National Election Commission, by around 9:00 am, voting activity had already reached approximately 2.5 million people, about 5.7% of the total registered voters. In total, over 44 million citizens are eligible to vote in the country, with more than 15 million having participated in early voting last week. The surge in activity was fueled by the sharp political crisis that culminated in the removal of President Yoon Suk-yeol from office. His attempt to impose martial law in December of last year served as the catalyst for political change. The former head of state insisted that the decision to implement martial law was a necessary step, driven by long-standing parliamentary inertia and the support of a portion of the opposition toward North Korea. However, these actions provoked criticism and ended his political career — Yoon Suk-yeol was stripped of his presidential powers, and the country’s Constitutional Court confirmed the necessity of his resignation. This marked the first time in the last two decades that a head of state’s term ended under such political circumstances. Amid these dramatic events, intense campaigns continue among candidates vying for the new presidency. The frontrunner is Lee Jae-moon from the opposition Democratic Party, who has gained a significant lead in popularity. His main opponent is Kim Mun-su, a candidate from the ruling conservative forces, a political figure with views similar to those of the previous leadership. The third major contender is Lee Jung-sok from the Reform Party, which effectively split the conservative electorate, adding an extra layer of complexity to determining the winner. Foreign policy has become the main theme of the election campaign. While all three candidates support continuing strategic partnerships with the United States and Japan, there are considerable differences in their approaches to relations with China and North Korea. Lee Jae-moon advocates for more balanced and diplomatic relations with Beijing, not ruling out dialogue with Pyongyang. In contrast, his main rival, Kim Mun-su, adopts a tougher stance on North Korea. He supports creating a nuclear alliance with the US similar to NATO and emphasizes the need to forge strategic agreements to enhance national security. Against this backdrop, the urgent need to restore stability and political integrity remains relevant for all South Korean society. The question of how well the new leader can overcome deep crises—caused not only by internal political conflicts but also by a complex international environment—remains open for the coming months.