South Korea schedules a June 3 election to select a successor for the ousted Yoon.

South Korea has scheduled a snap election for June 3 to choose a successor to Yoon Suk-yeol, who was removed from office due to his brief and controversial imposition of martial law, according to the nation’s acting president. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, currently serving as interim leader, announced on Tuesday that the date was selected after careful consideration of the need to facilitate efficient election processes and provide political parties with adequate preparation time. Han noted that the decision followed consultations with the National Election Commission and other relevant bodies.

On Friday, South Korea’s Constitutional Court unanimously affirmed the parliament’s impeachment of Yoon, who had been elected in 2022 for a five-year term. The court ruled that the conservative leader had exceeded his presidential powers by declaring martial law late last year, a move that destabilized the country’s democratic framework.

South Korean law mandates that a new presidential election be held within 60 days of a president’s ouster. Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3 threw the nation’s fledgling democracy into chaos, as he justified it as a response to political gridlock and alleged “antistate” activities by the opposition. The sight of soldiers clashing with lawmakers and staff at the National Assembly stirred haunting memories of the military regimes that dominated South Korea before its democratic transition in 1987. Facing swift backlash, Yoon rescinded the decree within hours, after the National Assembly voted unanimously to nullify it.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, emerges as the frontrunner in the forthcoming election, despite facing multiple legal battles over corruption and other allegations. Until the vote, Han Duck-soo will steer the country through a period of political upheaval, compounded by economic challenges tied to its export-driven economy. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on South Korean imports as part of his sweeping “liberation day” trade policies targeting nearly all U.S. trading partners.

Although Trump spared certain industries, such as semiconductors—a key export for South Korean giants like Samsung and SK Hynix—the nation’s automotive sector was hit with a separate 25 percent tariff that took effect last week. Vehicles, including cars, represent South Korea’s top export to the U.S., comprising 27 percent of the $127.8 billion in goods shipped there in 2024.

In response, South Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo left for Washington on Tuesday to seek concessions from the Trump administration on these punitive tariffs, as the country braces for the economic fallout amid its political transition.