Tomorrow, on June 3, 2025, South Korea is set to hold a snap election. This election will determine the new president to succeed Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and removed from office after his unlawful imposition of martial law amid political issues brought by the opposing party. Yeol’s presidency, which was characterized by mass protests and a constitutional crisis near the end, now remains in the memories of many South Koreans who will be voting on Tuesday. Despite opposing viewpoints on former President Yeol, it is clear to all South Korean citizens that this snap election will mark a pivotal moment in the country’s future.
Due to a vacant office since Yeol’s removal, the winner will immediately be sworn in as president on Wednesday, ignoring the usual two-month transition period. Entering the presidency without a transition puts a high amount of pressure on the future president, since they will be tasked with healing the deeper domestic divide in South Korea after Yeol’s presidency. Outside of internal affairs, the new president must deal with foreign influence, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s America-first policy, which involves adding tariffs, withdrawing from international agreements, and re-evaluating international alliances. North Korea’s advancing nuclear program poses a severe security concern to many citizens, especially due to recent growing doubts about the security alliance with the United States. Now, 39% of South Koreans do not believe that the United States will defend South Korea in a conflict with North Korea. Rising fears have led to growing debates on how to respond to North Korea’s nuclear threat, leading to further divisions within South Korea, since it officially maintains a policy of nuclear non-proliferation.
As tensions grow and new problems come to light, it has become clear that South Korea’s new president must be qualified and well-equipped to steer the country through these challenges. At the center of the election are two major contenders: Lee Jae-myung, a representative of the main liberal Democratic Party, and Kim Moo Soo, the representative of the People’s Power Party.
Out of the two candidates, Lee Jae-myung currently leads in the popularity polls. In three Gallup Korea surveys from last week, 46%-49% of respondents picked Lee as their top choice for the next president, while 35%-37% picked Kim.
Although Lee remains a popular pick, members of the opposing People’s Power Party have shared concerns that his views could polarize and divide the country further. In the past, Lee narrowly lost the 2022 election to former President Yoon and led two parliamentary votes to overturn his martial law decree and impeach him. Even after Yoon was dismissed by the Constitutional Court in April, Lee continued calling to punish those involved in Yoon’s martial law enactment, spreading worry among the opposition party and garnering criticism.
On the other hand, Kim was a former labor minister under Yoon’s presidency and has sought to restore public confidence in the government. However, many moderate voters lean against Kim due to his reluctance to explicitly criticize former President Yoon and his opposition to Yoon’s impeachment.
Three other politicians are running for the presidency, one of them being Lee Jun-seok, a representative of the small conservative New Reform Party, who rejected Kim’s request to find a unified candidate between them to prevent a split in conservative votes. His rejection further highlights the deepening rifts across the country, which even occur in individual political parties.
As the snap election becomes closer and closer, citizens from all parties know that the outcome will shape the nation’s stability, international security, and public trust in the government.
Written by Claire Liu
