South Korea Schedules Snap Presidential Election for June 3, Prompting Contenders to Emerge

SEOUL, April 8 (Reuters) – South Korea officially scheduled a snap presidential election for June 3, following last week’s ouster of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, and leading contenders have already begun declaring their candidacies.

The unexpected leadership vacuum has disrupted Seoul’s efforts to engage with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration amid rising U.S. tariffs and slowing economic growth in Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

Yoon was removed from office on Friday after his abrupt and controversial declaration of martial law in December, which plunged the country into political turmoil. His dismissal has set the stage for an election that could significantly reshape both domestic and foreign policy.

“The government intends to designate June 3 as the 21st presidential election day,” Acting President Han Duck-soo announced at a cabinet meeting, citing the need to give political parties sufficient time to prepare.

Among the early contenders is Kim Moon-soo, Yoon’s former labor minister, who resigned on Tuesday to launch his campaign. Although he is not officially a member of Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP), Kim is currently polling ahead of other conservative hopefuls.

“I tendered my resignation and decided to run because the people want it, people I know want it, and I feel a responsibility to help solve our national difficulties,” Kim told reporters. He cited worsening economic conditions and called for unity to navigate what he described as a “severe national crisis.”

Also entering the race is Ahn Cheol-soo, a PPP lawmaker and the first in the party to vote for Yoon’s impeachment. Announcing his candidacy on Tuesday, Ahn positioned himself as a “cleaner candidate than anyone else” and promised to foster new economic growth engines such as artificial intelligence in response to Trump’s trade policies.

Ahn, a familiar face in South Korean politics, has run in the last three presidential elections. He garnered over 21% of the vote in 2017 but withdrew in the other two races to endorse rival candidates. Despite his experience, recent polls suggest his support remains too low to feature prominently.

Kim and Ahn now join a crowded field of conservative candidates, all vying to lead the nation after a second consecutive impeachment of a president from their party.