Pre-election Brief: South Korea’s 2025 Snap Presidential Election

South Korea’s presidential election on June 3, 2025, comes at a pivotal moment in the country’s political development, unfolding against a backdrop of deepening domestic political tensions, economic challenges, and mounting external pressures. The snap election—the country’s 21st presidential contest—was triggered by the Constitutional Court’s April 4 decision to uphold the National Assembly’s impeachment vote from December, which followed President Yoon Suk-yeol’s attempt to impose martial law on December 3, 2024. Yoon’s move plunged the nation into an unprecedented constitutional and political crisis that unfolded over several months and affected all sectors of state and society. In this context, the election is not merely about selecting Yoon’s successor but about confronting and overcoming the country’s gravest political crisis since its transition from military to democratic rule. Reflecting heightened public engagement and the perceived significance of the vote, early voting has seen a high turnout.

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