South Korea’s Election in Turmoil as Opposition Leader Faces Trial, Acting President Resigns

South Korea’s upcoming presidential elections were thrown into further disarray Thursday after the Supreme Court ordered the opposition front-runner to face a new trial for election law violations, while the country’s acting president resigned amid speculation he will participate in the June vote, the Washington Post reported.

The Supreme Court ordered a lower court to reopen a case against Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, the opposition politician who is leading in most polls, but who was initially convicted for lying during the 2022 presidential campaign. An appeals court overturned that conviction last year, only for the country’s top tribunal to quash that decision Thursday.

The Democratic Party denounced the verdict as politically motivated, claiming the judiciary was interfering in the election.

Though Lee remains eligible to run, the renewed legal proceedings could weigh heavily on his candidacy and deepen voter unease over his record.

South Korean law bars anyone fined more than $683 for election law violations from seeking office, though any ruling before election day would likely face appeals that could delay a final verdict, according to the Associated Press.

Shortly after the ruling, acting President Han Duck-soo resigned and hinted that he intends to run for the top office in the June 3 elections.

In a televised address, Han said he was taking on a “heavier responsibility” to help overcome national crises and denounced extreme politics.

South Korea has been grappling with a political crisis and divisions since Han’s predecessor, former President Yoon Suuk Yeol, issued a controversial martial law decree in December.

Han – who was serving as prime minister at the time – assumed the role of acting president subsequently when Yoon was impeached. Han, too, soon faced impeachment following accusations that he was stalling the judicial appointments needed to continue the process of impeaching Yoon.

The constitutional court overturned Han’s impeachment but removed Yoon from office last month after ruling that his Dec. 3 martial law decree violated the constitution.

Observers noted that Han – a career bureaucrat – is expected to align with Yoon’s conservative People Power Party, which remains disorganized after the former leader’s impeachment.

Some supporters see him as a competent technocrat capable of handling economic challenges, such as the US Trump administration’s tariffs. Still, critics cautioned that the 75-year-old politician lacks strong political support and is too old to lead the nation.