Early presidential elections were held in South Korea on 3 June 2025. Democratic Party nominee and former opposition leader Lee Jae Myung defeated the ruling People Power Party nominee Kim Moon-soo and New Reform Party nominee Lee Jun-seok.
These were the ninth presidential elections since the 1987 democratization and the establishment of the Sixth Republic, the second to be held following an impeachment, and the first to take place in a year different from the original schedule. Originally scheduled for 3 March 2027, the election was brought forward to 3 June 2025, following the impeachment and removal of Yoon Suk Yeol. An early election is required by the constitution of South Korea within 60 days of a presidential vacancy. The 2025 early election was triggered by the 4 April decision of the Constitutional Court of Korea that removed Yoon from office. Later, the government officially called an election for 3 Junethe second snap presidential election in South Korean history.
Lee, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon, ran again and won with a comfortable margin. Voter turnout was 79.38%, the highest since the 1997 presidential election. Campaign issues included the 2024 martial law crisis, infighting within the PPP, the economy, housing costs, political polarization, Trump tariffs, gender equality, the cost-of-living crisis, and the aging crisis.
Background
Following the martial law declaration by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol on 3 December 2024, the National Assembly voted to impeach him on 14 December 2024, with 204 lawmakers voting in favor, out of the National Assembly's total membership of 300. The Constitutional Court of Korea upheld the impeachment on 4 April 2025, removing Yoon from office.
Under the constitution, a election must be held within 60 days of the office of the President becoming vacant. On 8 April, acting President Han Duck-soo called an election for 3 June.
Electoral system
The president of South Korea is elected via a single-round plurality voting system. Presidents are limited to a single five-year term, with no possibility of re-election. In regularly scheduled presidential elections, the winner takes office two months after Election Day. However, in a snap election, the winner takes office the moment the National Election Commission chair certifies the votes and strikes the gavel three times. There is no transition period.
Nominations The National Election Commission (NEC) opened preliminary candidate registration on 4 April 2025. Incumbent heads of municipal governments who chose to run for president were required to resign from their existing positions by 4 May.
Democratic Party
On 10 April, Lee Jae Myung announced his candidacy. He ran on reducing economic inequality, growing the economy through investments, and strengthening diplomatic relations with the United States and Japan. Lee also pledged to relocate the Office of the President and National Assembly to Sejong City. Lee further promised to codify Sejong City's status as South Korea's administrative capital.
On 12 April 2025, the Democratic Party of Korea announced that its presidential primary would be equally weighted between votes by dues-paying members and a public poll conducted by two polling companies that would survey one million people. The final decision would be released on 27 April, following a full party vote on 14 April and an online vote by its central committee on 15 April. This was the first DPK primary to include participants aged 16 to 18, following a 2022 revision to the Political Parties Act that lowered the minimum party membership age from 18 to 16. On 18 April, the Democratic Party held its first televised debate. On 23 April, the party held its second televised debate. During the debate, the three candidates discussed constitutional amendments to either shorten presidential terms or allow multiple terms, and when the changes would take effect. On 27 April, the party officially nominated Lee Jae Myung after a primary landslide.
Nominee
for PresidentLeader of the Democratic Party(2022–2025)
DPK leader (2022–2025) and Assemblyman Lee Jae Myung, resigned from DPK leadership on 9 April, announced his presidential bid on 10 April, and won the nomination on 27 April.
Withdrawn or eliminated candidates Candidates in this section are sorted by date of elimination or withdrawal from the primaries Kim Dong-yeon Kim Kyoung-soo Kim Doo-kwan 36th Governor of Gyeonggi Province (since 2022) Governor of South Gyeongsang Province (2018–2021) Member of the National Assembly (2016–2024) Eliminated: 27 April Eliminated: 27 April Withdrew: 18 April
+ The 21st Democratic Party Presidential Primary Election on 27 April 2025 Candidate Results Votes % Lee Jae Myung 623,695 89.77 Kim Dong-yeon 41,307 6.87 Kim Kyoung-soo 25,512 3.36
Kim Kyoung-soo was sentenced to prison in July 2021 and disqualified from running for public office until April 2028, but he was pardoned in August 2024, restoring his eligibility.
People Power Party
On 3 May 2025, the People Power Party (PPP) held a primary and announced the nominee at its party convention. Following three rounds of voting, former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo was won the party nomination. However, the PPP's leadership forced a rescission of Kim's nomination in the early hours of 10 May, citing Kim's refusal to undergo a candidate unification process with Han Duck-soo. Han was subsequently made a member of the PPP and declared as the PPP's nominee. Kim referred to the move as a midnight "coup d'état." The sudden switch faced harsh criticism from within the party, since Han had not participated in the PPP primary, leading to accusations of free-riding. A PPP membership-wide vote on approving the switch was held on 10 May from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. KST. PPP members rejected the switch and reinstated Kim Moon-soo as the PPP's presidential candidate.
Nominee for PresidentMinister of Employment and Labor (2024–2025)
Kim Moon-soo, Minister of Employment and Labor (2024–2025) (Announced bid on 9 April, won nomination on 3 May, nomination rescinded on 10 May, nomination subsequently reinstated on 10 May)
Withdrawn or eliminated candidates Candidates in this section are sorted by date of elimination or withdrawal from the primaries Han Duck-soo Han Dong-hoon Ahn Cheol-soo Hong Joon-pyo Na Kyung-won Acting President of South Korea (2024; 2025) Minister of Justice (2022–2023) Member of the National Assembly (since 2022) Mayor of Daegu (2022–2025) Member of the National Assembly (since 2024) Withdrew: 10 May Eliminated: 3 May Eliminated: 29 April Eliminated: 22 April Yoo Jeong-bok Lee Cheol-woo Yang Hyang-ja Yoo Seong-min Oh Se-hoon Mayor of Incheon (since 2022) Governor of North Gyeongsang Province (since 2018) Member of the National Assembly (2020–2024) Member of the National Assembly (2005–2020) Mayor of Seoul (since 2021) Eliminated: 22 April Withdrew: 13 April Withdrew: 12 April
+ People Power 21st Presidential Primary Election on 3 May 2025 Candidate Results Votes from party members Poll Sum Kim Moon-soo 246,519 (61.25%) 208,525 (51.81%) 455,044 (56.53%) Han Dong-hoon 155,961 (38.75%) 193,955 (48.19%) 349,916 (43.47%)
Third party nominees and independent candidates
Nominees Kwon Yeong-guk Song Jin-ho for President for President for President Member of the National Assembly(since 2024) Leader of the Democratic Labor Party(since 2024) Businessman
Withdrawn, eliminated, or ineligible candidates Candidates in this section are sorted by date of elimination, withdrawal, or ineligible from the primaries Independent Hwang Kyo-ahn Koo Joo-wa Lee Nak-yon Acting President of South Korea (2016–2017) Lawyer Former Prime Minister(2017–2020) Withdrew: 1 June Withdrew: 19 May Withdrew: 10 May Social Transformation Solidarity Conference (Democratic Labor Party) Kim Jae-yeon Jeon Kwang-hoon Leader of the Progressive Party (since 2024) Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions President of Christian Council of Korea Withdrew: 9 May Eliminated: 30 April Ineligible
Independents On 9 April 2025, former prime minister and acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn announced his presidential bid. Hwang officially registered as an independent candidate on 11 May.
On 1 May 2025, Han Duck-soo resigned as acting president and concurrent prime minister of South Korea and announced his presidential bid the next day. Han pledged to amend the constitution to allow up to two four-year terms. Han committed to resigning immediately upon a successful amendment.
Independent candidate Song Jin-ho filed his candidacy on 11 May. Song's registration documents disclosed 17 prior criminal convictions.
Progressive Party On 19 April, the Progressive Party selected Kim Jae-yeon as its presidential candidate. She withdrew on 9 May, citing a need to primarily stop the PPP, and endorsed Lee Jae-myung.
Liberal Unification Party After declaring his candidacy on 24 April, Jeon Kwang-hoon was found ineligible to run due to previous election law violations. Jeon's Liberal Unification Party subsequently nominated lawyer Koo Joo-wa as its presidential candidate on 9 May.
Rebuilding Korea Party On 27 April, the Rebuilding Korea Party endorsed Lee Jae Myung of Democratic Party for the presidency.
New Future Democratic Party Lee Nak-yon hinted at a campaign for president at the National Convention for Constitutional Revision hosted by the New Future Democratic Party. On 30 April, Lee's campaign advisor announced Lee's candidacy registration, effectively making his campaign official. However, on 10 May, Lee decided against a run, and did not endorse a candidate. On 27 May, Lee announced that he endorses Kim Moon-soo.
Social Transformation Solidarity Conference (Democratic Labor Party) The Green Party, Justice Party, Labor Party, and several labor unions agreed to have an open primary and field candidates under the banner of Social Transformation. Kwon Yeong-guk won the primary and was nominated as the Democratic Labor Party's presidential candidate on 30 April.
Kwon pledged a complete "liquidation of insurrectionist forces" following the martial law crisis and Yoon's impeachment. He refused calls to unify his campaign with that of Lee Jae-myung, saying "independent progressive politics must continue." He promised to enact an anti-discrimination law, and would work to create an equal society without gaps. As a "street lawyer," Kwon was instrumental in the 2015 Supreme Court decision to legalize the Migrant Workers' Trade Union and promises to overhaul Korea's immigration system.
Kwon and the Democratic Labor Party qualified to appear in the televised presidential debates.
On 15 May, defeated candidate and former KCTU chairman Han Sang-gyun called for unity at a Busan press conference, saying, "This is the result of the desperation of not having a voice in an unequal world. We need to build on this power to create a decisive moment that will transform Korean society."
+ Social Transformation Solidarity Conference 21st Presidential Primary Election on 27–30 April 2025 Candidate Results Votes% Kwon Yeong-guk 4,56579.5 1,91220.55
Registered candidates