South Korea went to the polls in a snap general election triggered by the Constitutional Court unanimous decision to uphold the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Yoon had briefly declared martial law in December 2024 before reversing under parliamentary pressure and was formally removed in February 2025. Acting President Han Duck-soo called the election which drew 73% voter turnout, the highest in a Korean general election since 2004.
Preliminary results pointed to a strong showing by the Democratic Party of Korea led by Lee Jae-myung, who had positioned the vote as a referendum on democratic governance. The ruling People Power Party appeared to have lost its National Assembly majority. International observers praised the election as a demonstration of the resilience of South Korean democratic institutions. The result is expected to reshape policy on North Korea, Japan, and the United States relationships.
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