Presidential vote underway in South Korea after months of unrest

South Koreans turned out in large numbers on Tuesday to elect a new president, hoping to bring an end to months of political and economic turmoil following former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief and controversial imposition of martial law late last year.

The vote marks the culmination of a tense six-month period that began with Yoon’s shocking attempt to assert military control on December 3 — a move widely condemned both domestically and internationally, and which ultimately led to his impeachment and removal by the Constitutional Court on April 4. The presidency has since remained vacant.

Polls opened at 6 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Monday) and are set to close at 8 p.m. Early voter turnout signals strong civic engagement, with over 8.1 million people — approximately 18.2 per cent of eligible voters — casting their ballots by 11 a.m., according to the National Election Commission. A record one-third of the 44.39 million electorate had already participated in early voting.

The race has been dominated by two candidates: liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and conservative Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party. Both men concluded their official campaigns on Monday night with final rallies in Seoul, vowing to heal a nation reeling from political instability and a weakening export-driven economy under pressure from rising global protectionism.

Lee, a former human rights lawyer, has framed the election as a referendum on the failed Yoon administration, accusing Kim and his party of enabling the former president’s authoritarian overreach. “This is judgment day,” Lee told supporters earlier this week, warning that the People Power Party’s response to the martial law crisis reflected deeper issues within the conservative establishment.

Kim, who served as Yoon’s labour minister, has rejected such criticism, instead portraying Lee as a potential autocrat. “Lee and his Democratic Party are a monster. If they seize power, they will rewrite laws not out of need, but out of desire,” Kim said during a televised debate.

While both candidates have promised sweeping reforms, particularly in technology and innovation, their economic platforms diverge. Lee has pledged more equitable growth and social assistance for low and middle-income families, whereas Kim has campaigned on deregulation and reducing labour unrest to spur business growth.

Yet, regardless of policy differences, both camps have struggled to move beyond the shadow of Yoon’s attempted military rule, which has polarised the public and damaged South Korea’s global democratic image.

In the capital, many voters voiced hopes that the new president would focus on healing and rebuilding.

“The economy has gotten so much worse since December 3, not just for me but I hear that from everybody,” said Kim Kwang-ma, an 81-year-old voter in Seoul. “And we as a people have become so polarised... and I wish we could come together so that Korea can develop again.”

Exit polls conducted by three major broadcasters are expected to be released immediately after the polls close, though the final result may not emerge until early Wednesday. In the closely contested 2022 election, Lee conceded to Yoon at approximately 3 a.m. — a margin of less than one percentage point deciding the outcome.

This year’s result is anticipated to be less tight. A Gallup Korea survey released a week prior showed Lee leading with 49 per cent support, a 14-point advantage over Kim, though the conservative candidate had gained ground since the campaign began in mid-May.

The National Election Commission is expected to formally certify the outcome on Wednesday morning. The new president will be sworn in shortly thereafter, with no transition period due to the vacancy left by Yoon’s impeachment.

The incoming leader will face a host of immediate challenges: restoring public trust, navigating tensions with Washington over trade and security, and reviving a fragile economy — all while governing a nation still grappling with the scars of a constitutional crisis.