Candidates for the June 3 South Korean presidential election are piling up - while the former opposition leader is in the lead, the ruling party may have double-digit candidates in the primary election

The 21st presidential election in South Korea, which will be held following the impeachment of former president Yoon Seok-yeol, has been set for June 3.
On the 8th, candidates were announced, centering on the largest progressive opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, which is seeking revenge for its loss in the last presidential election in 2022, and the former conservative ruling party, the People Power Party, which is aiming to take power again despite being considered at a disadvantage.
The Democratic Party of Korea's former leader Lee Jae-myung, who is currently leading the polls in the presidential election, and former ruling party leader Lee Jae-myung, are also in the running for the 56-day election.
Several politicians, including former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo, from the People Power Party, have already indicated their intention to run. On the 4th of this month, the Constitutional Court of South Korea decided to impeach Yoon, who was in the position of president.
Yoon declared "emergency martial law" for the nation in December last year. Emergency martial law is a type of martial law stipulated in the South Korean Constitution. It is used in times of war, civil unrest, and other emergencies when it is necessary for military purposes or to maintain public order.
The emergency martial law was lifted early, but it caused chaos in Korean society and destabilized domestic politics. Opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized Yoon for "upholding the constitutional order."
The bill to impeach Yoon was submitted to the National Assembly, pointing out that he had violated the Constitution by "attempting to disrupt the current administration and seizing permanent power by committing an attempted civil war." The bill was put to a vote in December last year, with 204 votes in favor and 100 votes against.
The bill passed with 85 votes. As a result, Yoon was suspended from his duties. Following the passage of the bill, the Constitutional Court will decide within six months whether to dismiss or reinstate Yoon.
A total of 11 arguments were held from Monday to February 25th. The Constitutional Court unanimously decided on the morning of the 4th of this month to approve Yoon's impeachment.
In accordance with the Public Offices Election Act, a presidential election will be held within 60 days. Prime Minister Han Deok-soo, who is currently acting as president, held a regular Cabinet meeting at the Government Seoul building on the morning of the 8th.
The meeting passed a resolution to hold the presidential election on June 3. The government designated the day of the election as an emergency public holiday to allow citizens to exercise their voting rights smoothly.
The schedule for the election has also been decided. The presidential candidates selected by each political party will meet with the Central Election Commission on May 10-11.
In addition, public officials who plan to run for office must resign from their positions by May 4th, 30 days before the election. Election campaigning will be held from May 12th to June 2nd, 22 days after the election.
With the date of the election now officially set for June 3, the ruling and opposition parties have announced their candidacy one after another. On the 9th, Lee resigned from his position as party leader in preparation for his candidacy.
"I will be starting a new job from now on," he said at the party meeting on the same day. Lee is expected to declare his candidacy as early as today, the 10th. Lee will run against Yoon in the 2022 presidential election.
He lost to Biden by a narrow margin, but in recent polls asking who he thinks would be suitable to be the next president, he has a large lead over the others.
However, Lee is currently facing multiple criminal trials and has a history of radical behavior, leaving many moderate voters repulsed by him.
The People Power Party is also selecting a candidate. Kim Moon-soo, who was the Minister of Employment and Labor, resigned on the 8th to run for office.
At his farewell ceremony, he said, "Korea is now in a difficult situation," and emphasized, "Now is the time to rebuild a great Korea." On the 9th, he formally announced his candidacy and said, "I will continue to support the people's wishes that have been given to me."
Kim is believed to have garnered support from some conservative voters by taking a stance against Yoon's impeachment, and in the months since Yoon was impeached, he has been the subject of much criticism.
In opinion polls of the next presidential candidates, he maintains the number one approval rating among conservative candidates, but is trailing Lee by double digits.
Also running in the presidential election is former governor of South Gyeongsang Province, who also has cabinet membership.
Former National Assembly member Kim Du-gwan and Governor Kim Dong-yeon of Gyeonggi Province near Seoul have announced their candidacy. Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo from the People Power Party is running for the fourth time.
In addition to announcing his intention to run for president, several other candidates have already expressed their intention to run. Former Chairman Han Dong-hoon and Seoul Mayor Oh Sehun, who is also a member of the same party, are also expected to announce their candidacy soon.
Yonhap News Agency reported that "the number of candidates taking part in the primary election to select the party's candidate may reach double digits."