Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: For the first time, Prime Minister Netanyahu is signaling that he wants to end the war on Gaza
Israeli Channel 12, citing an American source: We want to have entered a path toward captive release and a ceasefire before Netanyahu arrives in Washington
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One martyr and two injured in the Israeli airstrike that targeted a motorcycle in the town of Mahrouna
Al Mayadeen correspondent to Southern Lebanon: An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle between the towns of Jwayya and Mahrouna.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One martyred in the Israeli drone strike on a car in the town of Kawnin
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone targets a car in the town of Kawnin
Naeini: If our national interests are attacked again, our response this time will be stronger and more destructive
Naeini: The war has proven that the settlers are defenseless against Iranian missile and drone forces
Naeini: Trump lacks an understanding of the true strength of the Iranian people and is so deluded as to believe he can change the reality of Iran's victory
Naeini: The defeat led to Trump's confusion and loss of balance, which was reflected in his ill-considered statements

South Korea votes for new president amid martial law turmoil

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 Jun 2025 10:01
4 Min Read

South Koreans headed to the polls Tuesday for the 2025 presidential election, seeking stability after Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration.

Listen
  • x
  • A man casts his vote for the presidential election at a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 3, 2025 (AP)
    A man casts his vote for the presidential election at a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)

South Koreans went to the polls for a new president on Tuesday after six months of turmoil sparked by ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol's brief, shocking martial law declaration, which damaged the country and created an unstable political environment.

Voter turnout is anticipated to be strong, with polling stations open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, following early voting in which over a third of the 44.39 million eligible voters already participated. By 11:00 am, 8.1 million voters, just over 18% of the electorate, had cast ballots across 14,295 polling stations nationwide, the National Election Commission reported.

The leading candidates concluded three weeks of intense nationwide campaigning late Monday, traversing the country before gathering in Seoul for their final rallies, where they pledged to move past months of political upheaval and revitalize the struggling economy.

Candidates promise change through different approaches

Liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung and conservative rival Kim Moon-soo have both campaigned on promises of transformative change, arguing that South Korea's current political system and economic framework, established during its transition to democracy and industrial growth, are now outdated and inadequate for the nation's needs.

While both candidates share similar visions for investing in innovation and technology, Lee Jae-myung emphasizes greater economic equity and support for middle-to-low-income households, whereas Kim Moon-soo focuses on deregulation and reducing labor conflicts to empower businesses.

Related News

South Korea's former president denies insurrection in criminal trial

Yoon's martial law looms over the polls

Lee has framed the election as a "judgment day" against Kim and the People Power Party, accusing them of failing to sufficiently oppose the martial law attempt and even attempting to preserve Yoon's presidency through their inaction.

Kim has countered by labeling Lee a "dictator" and his Democratic Party a "monster," arguing that if the former human rights lawyer wins the presidency, his administration would recklessly rewrite laws solely based on ideological preferences without proper checks.

Seoul voters expressed hope that the next president would heal political divisions, bring stability, and tackle the real-world consequences of recent martial law turmoil that have directly impacted their daily lives and families.

An 81-year-old voter, Kim Kwang-ma, told Reuters that economic conditions had deteriorated significantly since December 3, a sentiment he said was widely shared, and expressed concern over deepening societal divisions, voicing hope for national unity to reignite South Korea's progress.

Polls show Lee in the lead

Polls released a week before the election showed Lee as the favored candidate, holding a 14-point lead over Kim with 49% public support in a Gallup Korea survey, though Kim had managed to close what had initially been an even larger gap since the campaign began on May 12.

Three major television networks will release exit polls when voting concludes at 8 pm, after which ballots will undergo machine counting followed by a rigorous triple-verification process conducted manually by election officials to ensure accuracy.

The timing of the final result remains uncertain, though in the 2022 presidential election, which was decided by a historic margin of less than 1 percentage point, Lee conceded to Yoon around 3 am the following day in what was South Korea's closest ever presidential race.

The National Election Commission plans to certify the election result on Wednesday, with the winner expected to be inaugurated within hours, bypassing the usual presidential transition period since the office has been vacant since April 4, when parliament impeached Yoon and the Constitutional Court subsequently removed him from power.

  • South Korea martial law
  • South Korea snap elections
  • Kim Moon-soo
  • Lee Jae-myung
  • Yoon Suk-Yeol
  • South Korea

Most Read

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attends a protest following the US attacks on nuclear sites in Iran, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

Iran declares victory as ceasefire forces Israeli retreat

  • Politics
  • 24 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
Iran launches strikes on Israeli targets, despite alleged ceasefire

Iran victorious as ceasefire with 'Israel' takes effect

  • Politics
  • 24 Jun 2025
Iranian worshippers carry their country's flags in a protest to condemn Israeli attacks on multiple cities across Iran, after the Friday prayers ceremony in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP)

Iran warns of NPT withdrawal, Strait of Hormuz closure after US attack

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli occupation soldiers search for settlers amid the rubble of buildings destroyed by an Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam, central occupied Palestine, on Sunday, June 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran missile strike flattens Bat Yam, displaces 2,000 settlers

Palestinian fighters from the Islamic Jihad militant group riding on a truck with weaponry on display take part in an anti-Israel parade marking the 36th anniversary of the movement's founding, in Gaza City, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023 (AP)
Politics

Palestinian Resistance attacks Israeli forces in Khan Younis, Jabalia

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stands waiting to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for the talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 23, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran suspends IAEA cooperation, Araghchi blames Grossi for attacks

The commander of the Quds Force's Palestine Unit, Brigadier General Mohammad Said Izadi (Illustrated by Mahdi Rtail for Al Mayadeen English)
Politics

Who was Mohammad Said Izadi, head of the Quds Force's Palestine Unit?

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS