After a chaotic six months, South Koreans will elect a new president – and hope for bold leadership

On June 3, South Koreans will head to the polls to choose the country's new president. The election may draw to a close one of the most chaotic and contentious periods in the country's post-1987 democratic era.

- by Alexander M. Hynd Lecturer, Korean Politics/International Relations, The University of Melbourne

South Korea has been embroiled in a political crisis since December, when former President Yoon Suk Yeol disastrously declared martial law.

Yoon ordered security forces to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly, leading to a dramatic late-night confrontation. His unconstitutional decree was overturned after just six hours.

The fall-out was equally dramatic: Yoon was impeached and removed from office in a drawn-out process that was not finally resolved until April.

This period coincided with massive street demonstrations both opposing and supporting Yoon, a far-right assault on a courthouse and a physical stand-off between investigators and Yoon's personal security team.

The country, meanwhile, has cycled through three short-lived caretaker leaders.

With weak economic growth and high costs of living, in addition to an equally challenging security environment, South Korea is in desperate need of bold and effective leadership.

Who are the candidates?

The Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung is the clear frontrunner to be the next president, after finishing a close second in the previous 2022 election.

Recent polling put the veteran left-leaning politician at around 49% support as the race entered the final week.

This is a double-digit lead over his main conservative opponent, Kim Moon-soo, polling at 35%. Another conservative candidate, Lee Jun-seok, is polling at 11%. Notably, for the first time since 2007, there are no female candidates standing to be president.