S. Korea president vows to ensure stability until polls

South Korea's third acting president in five months Lee Ju-ho said on Friday he will ensure stable government ahead of a June 3 snap presidential election, following the quick-fire resignations of the prime minister and finance minister.

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Hours earlier, Education Minister Lee took over as acting leader, thrusting him into the job of shepherding Asia's fourth-largest economy through the political turmoil triggered by a martial law attempt last year by ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol and the impact of sweeping US tariffs.

Lee pledged to work closely with the cabinet and opposition-led parliament which impeached Yoon in December, and to try to stabilise the government.

"I will try my best to ensure government functions are managed stably," he told reporters.

Lee later chaired an unscheduled National Security Council meeting and called for a posture of "unwavering readiness" in case of possible aggression from neighbouring North Korea.

Financial markets were preparing for further uncertainty in early trading as authorities vowed to quell any immediate fallout from the resignations of key policymakers, pledging to minimise the impact and maintain round-the-clock monitoring.

The South Korean won and the benchmark KOSPI stock index recouped early losses and turned higher, tracking broader Asian markets on hopes of US-China trade talks.