South Korea Heads to Snap Election After Yoon's Ouster, Here Are the Contenders

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - South Korea is set to hold a snap presidential election within 60 days following the Constitutional Court’s unanimous decision to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office on Friday, April 4, 2025.

As reported by The Star, the ruling confirms his impeachment by parliament over last year’s imposition of martial law.

In South Korea, the president serves a single five-year term. Recent polls indicate the main opposition Democratic Party leader is currently leading the race, despite Lee Jae Myung facing legal issues of his own.

The following are key contenders in the upcoming presidential election.

LEE JAE-MYUNG

The Democratic Party leader is currently regarded as the top contender. The veteran politician narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election in the closest margin in history.

Leading by double digits in several recent polls, Lee was one of the lawmakers who rushed to the National Assembly on the night of Yoon's declaration of martial law on December 3 to ensure the parliament rejected the military order.

Lee, 61, led his party to a landslide victory in last year's parliamentary election and enjoys strong support from liberal voters.

However, Lee has his own legal battles.

Although courts overturned his conviction on charges of election law violation, he faces several trials on issues ranging from bribery to mostly scandal-related accusations over a $1 billion property development.

In 2024, he survived a knife attack at an event and underwent surgery for a stab to his neck.

HAN DONG-HOON

The former leader of the ruling People Power Party in South Korea is considered a top conservative contender. He was a vocal critic of Yoon's declaration of martial law.

The 51-year-old prosecutor turned politician resigned as the leader of the PPP amid party friction over his call for Yoon to resign over the declaration of martial law.

Han is popular among moderate conservative voters but faces criticism from Yoon's supporters who accuse Han of betraying his party and allowing Yoon's impeachment by the National Assembly in December.

KIM MOON-SOO

The Labor Minister has garnered more support than other conservative contenders, though he has stated he is not considering a presidential run.  

Like many conservative politicians, Kim condemned Yoon's arrest and the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial.  

At 73, he would likely be the oldest candidate if he chooses to enter the race.

OH SE-HOON

The conservative four-term mayor of Seoul supports the idea of South Korea exploring nuclear armament as a countermeasure against its nuclear-armed rival, North Korea.  

"Along with having nuclear potential, we need to be prepared to put our own nuclear weapons on the table as a possible strategic option," he wrote on Facebook in January.  

This year, Oh introduced his regulatory reform initiative, "KOGA (Korea Growth Again)," drawing inspiration from former U.S. President Donald Trump's MAGA movement. His reforms aim to accelerate economic growth from last year's 2% to 5%.

HONG JOON-PYO

Hong, the conservative stronghold mayor of Daegu, said he is preparing for the next presidential election even while urging the Constitutional Court not to oust Yoon.

A five-term parliament member for the PPP and its predecessor, he lost in the 2017 presidential election to Moon Jae-in.

Hong has been a vocal critic of the former ruling party leader Han for distancing himself from Yoon.

KIM DONG-YEON

The Governor of Gyeonggi Province has emerged as another potential contender from the opposition.

In January, Kim told Reuters that "there might be tough times ahead of us, especially for countries like Korea," emphasizing that the alliance between Seoul and Washington will remain "very concrete," regardless of who leads the administration.

He said whoever represents the Democratic Party must win the election.

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