The government leaders of the Republic of Korea announced that the country would hold a presidential election on June 3, 2025, to replace former president Yoon Suk Yeol. The news comes after a tumultuous political period in the country, which began when Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024.
“The government intends to designate June 3 as the 21st presidential election day,” said Han Duck-soo, South Korea’s acting president.
Political chaos followed Yoon’s decision, and the declaration was nullified shortly thereafter. His declaration of martial law resulted in his impeachment in December. South Korea’s Constitutional Court officially removed him from office on April 4, the Associated Press reported.
“By declaring martial law in breach of the constitution and other laws, the defendant brought back the history of abusing state emergency decrees, shocked the people, and caused confusion in the society, economy, politics, diplomacy, and all other areas,” said Moon Hyung-bae, acting chief justice of South Korea’s Constitutional Court.
“Given the negative impact on constitutional order caused by the defendant’s violation of laws and its ripple effects are grave, we find that the benefits of upholding the constitution by dismissing the defendant far outweigh the national losses from the dismissal of the president,” Moon asserted.
The country’s law stipulates that a presidential election must occur within 60 days of a president’s removal from office.
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Yoon declared martial law over concerns his political opponents were working to sabotage his government and undermine his authority. He accused them of engaging in actions detrimental to the government, such as colluding with geopolitical foe and geographical neighbor, North Korea.
“I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean, anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitutional order,” Yoon said at the time.
