The new president will be tasked with pulling the nation out of political turmoil and face a polarized country and world.
South Koreans started casting their ballots at 6 a.m. on Tuesday to elect a new president, in a snap election that is expected to set the nation on a course to recovery from a political crisis it has endured over the past six months.
Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party is the favorite to win, having consistently led public opinion polls by a large margin. Kim Moon-soo is his main rival and is attempting to keep the presidency in the hands of the People Power Party.
The new leader will be take office on Wednesday. He will be tasked with addressing the fallout from former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law decree on Dec. 3, reviving a sputtering economy and navigating increasingly strained geopolitical tensions.
After months of turmoil for its democracy and a revolving door of temporary leaders since Mr. Yoon was impeached, the stakes are high.
The president’s seat has been vacant since Dec. 14, when the National Assembly voted to impeach Mr. Yoon for his attempt to impose martial law. The attempted coup failed after lawmakers rushed to the parliament to strike down the decree within hours of the announcement by the former president on Dec. 3.
