After Presidential Ouster, South Koreans Gear Up For Crucial Election

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 (Bernama) -- South Korea will head to the polls on June 3 to elect a new president in one of the most high-stakes and pivotal elections in decades.

The snap election is triggered following the Constitutional Court’s removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol from office over his short-lived martial law imposition in December last year.

This election is widely seen as a step forward to restore political stability and bridge the public division that persist from the turmoil amid heightened public demand for constitutional reform, as voters are seeking a strong leadership to revitalise the economy and steer the country through an increasingly complex geopolitical and economic landscape.

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 Over 44.39 million South Koreans are eligible to vote in this election, which see six candidates vying for the presidency. 

Despite the crowded fight, the competition is largely focused on the tight race between forerunner Lee Jae Myung of the Democratic Party and his main rival, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party.

Other candidates trail far behind, with New Reform Party candidate Lee Jun Seok in third place. 

This election also marked the first time since 2007 that no female candidates were in the lineup, according to the National Election Commission (NEC). 

Bread and butter issues remain a major concern shaping voters’ sentiment, as sluggish economic performance continues to cloud national prospect and weigh heavily on the ordinary people.

The East Asian country has posted the lowest economy growth rate among 19 major economies, while the Bank of Korea has sharply cut its outlook for the country’s economic growth this year to 0.8 per cent.

Co-Founder and Senior Fellow of the East Asian International Relations (EAIR) Caucus, Dr Hoo Chiew Ping, noted that all candidates have put forward different proposals to revitalise the domestic economy, with these ideas debated publicly throughout the campaign.

Other issues include pushing for constitutional reform, particularly in amending the presidential term and regulating executive power.

Hoo highlighted Jun-seok, whose digital-savvy approach has gained him traction in the online sphere, especially among younger voters who make up 28 per cent of the total electorate.

“He (Lee Jun-seok) is the only candidate who goes live on YouTube every night to engage directly with audiences. His growing online following indicates how digital platforms, particularly YouTube, are shaping this election,” she added.

Head of the Department of International Relations Studies at Sultan Zainal Abidin University, Dr Hussain Yusri Zawawi, said the next president must be capable of articulating coherent strategies that address both domestic socioeconomic disparities and global strategic realignments.

The first major challenge for the new president is to lead the country in negotiating with the United States (US) over the latter’s tariff policy, which is currently standing at the baseline of 10 per cent after a 90-day pause for its 25 per cent tariff imposed on South Korea. 

Trade talks between Seoul and Washington to reduce the tariff are ongoing as the July 8 deadline approaches.

“The next president must balance strategic imperatives, including through policy hedging, and cultivating multilateral forums such as ASEAN and EU to reduce dependency on any single power bloc,” he told Bernama.

South Korea’s role as current APEC chair also adds weight to the election, as the next president is expected to lead regional dialogue and cooperation among its 21 member economies, which include US, Japan, China, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, among others.

“South Korea’s geopolitical position and economic configuration necessitate a strategy of calibrated alignment,” he added.

According to Yonhap news agency, over 15 million voters or 34.74 per cent of the total electorate have cast their ballots in the early voting process for the presidential election.

The latest poll on the presidential election showed that the Lee of the Democratic Party is leading with 49.2 per cent, followed by Kim of the People Power Party with 36.8 per cent, while Lee Jun-seok came in third with 10.3 per cent.

Voting on Tuesday will run from 6am till 8pm local time, and the result is expected to be known in the evening or the next day.

-- BERNAMA