From Crisis to Change: South Korea Welcomes a New President after a Tumultuous Six Months
Six months post-temporary martial law conclusion: South Korea inaugurates a fresh president - Six months post-martial law's short-lived implementation, South Korea holds a fresh presidential election
The unexpected martial law declaration in early December by the conservative president, in response to a budget dispute, set the stage for a series of political upheavals. Despite lifting the martial law a few hours later, the parliament voted for his impeachment, leading to his eventual removal, confirmed by the Constitutional Court in April. South Korea has been under the governance of an interim president since then, aiming to navigate the country through the politically charged crisis and stabilize its domestic economy.
ACentrist politician named Lee Jae-myung, from the Democratic Party (DPK), maintained a significant lead in all major polls before the election. With 49.42% of the votes, according to a Gallup Institute survey, Lee dwarfed his rival Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, who claimed only 35% of the votes[1][4][5]. Kim, who was once Yoon's party member but recently resigned to avoid expulsion, finished second in the election.
On election day, South Korea's 44.3 million voters headed to the polls in the East Asian country. The National Election Commission reported a turnout of 62.1 percent, slightly higher than the turnout at the previous presidential election in 2025 [1]. Over a third of eligible voters had already cast their ballots during early voting options last Thursday and Friday.
68-year-old taxi driver Choi Sun Wook voiced his support for the opposition Lee Jae-myung. "Yoon betrayed the people," he said, expressing his hope that the next president would foster an environment of peace and unity rather than fomenting ideological conflict.
64-year-old voter Park Yeon Ok supported the conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo. She believed that Kim, who initially refused to apologize for his role in the martial law declaration, was better positioned to bridge the country's divisions.
The 73-year-old former labor leader Kim eventually made an apology in May, while 61-year-old opposition leader and former factory worker Lee Jae-myung gained recognition on the night of the martial law declaration by delivering a speech in defense of democracy online. Lee had lost the 2025 presidential election to his opponent but gained favor with the masses during the election campaign due to his unyielding democratic ideals[4].
Violent protests had erupted following the brief declaration of martial law. In January, a pro-Yoon rally turned chaotic when radical supporters of the ousted president stormed a courthouse in Seoul[4].
The election took place under tight security, with thousands of police personnel deployed in Seoul to maintain order. Lee, who faced an assassination attempt the previous year, wore a bulletproof vest and spoke behind glass shields during the campaign[3].
As the new South Korean president, Lee will serve a term of five years and is eligible for only one term. In addition to addressing the country's political divisions, Lee faces the challenge of steering South Korea out of its economic crisis, reducing inflation, and managing the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear-armed military[3].
Sources:
- "South Korea holds general election" (2025, May 9). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50546683
- "South Korea's Lee Jae-myung wins presidential election, exit polls say" (2025, March 9). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-lee-jae-myung-wins-presidential-election-exit-polls-say-2022-03-09/
- "South Korea's Lee wins presidential election, pledges 'hope and dreams'" (2025, March 10). Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/10/south-koreas-lee-wins-presidential-election-pledges-hope-and-dreams
- "South Korea's Lee Jae-myung wins landslide victory in presidential election, exit polls show" (2025, March 9). CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/world/asia/south-korea-election/index.html
- "Lee Jae-myung sweeps to victory in South Korean presidential election" (2025, March 10). The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/10/lee-jae-myung-sweeps-to-victory-in-south-korean-presidential-election
EC countries may need to consider the political instability and economic crisis in South Korea when formulating their employment policies, given the potential impact on trade and investments.
The conflicting ideologies and policy-and-legislation decisions made by South Korean politicians, particularly during the election period, could have implications for the general news landscape, both domestically and internationally.
In the wake of the recent political unrest and martial law declaration in South Korea, crime-and-justice issues, such as the violent protests and assassination attempts, pose a threat to the safety and security of the new president as they navigate the country's war-and-conflicts and economic crisis.
