The South Korean Elections Committee said that the presidential candidates can register from Friday, after the ruling of the Constitutional Court to isolate former President Yun Suk Yol from his post, while interim President Han Duk-So pledged to supervise smooth and fair presidential elections.
A spokesman for the Elections Committee said that once registration, the presidential candidate can start his campaign, and South Korea is on a date with early presidential elections within 60 days.
On Friday, the Constitutional Court isolated Yoon Sok Yol, in support of a parliamentary proposal for his isolation, for imposing martial law for a long period last year last year in a measure that ignited the worst political crisis in the country for decades.
This ruling ended months of political turmoil, which cast a shadow over the efforts made to deal with the new administration of US President Donald Trump at a time when a slowdown in growth in the fourth largest economy in Asia.
On Friday, Yoon Sok made an apology, “because he was not as much as the people’s expectations.” He said in a message on his lawyer: “I apologize very much and feel sorry, because I was not as much as your expectations,” adding: “I will always pray for the sake of the Republic of Korea and everyone.”
Smooth transition to judgment
In turn, interim President Han Duk-Sso pledged to ensure stability in national and diplomatic security, pledging to “do everything in his power to ensure a smooth transfer of leadership to the next president,” according to the South Korean Yonhap News Agency.
The Constitutional Court in South Korea decided to dismiss President Yun Suk Yol, in support of a parliamentary proposal for his removal for imposing martial law for a period that did not last long last year.
“As a temporary president, I will ensure that there is no vacuum in national security or foreign affairs, and to maintain an indisposition security position.”
He added: “I will also do everything in the endeavor to ensure that there are no disturbances in dealing with urgent issues such as commercial conflicts, and I will keep firmly on public order, so that our citizens feel safe and reassured.”
He continued: “I will commit a strict commitment to the constitution and the law to ensure the start of the next government without delay,” adding: “I will do my best to supervise smooth and fair presidential elections.”
Early election procedures
Under the law, early elections must be held within 60 days after the court ruling, according to Yonhap. The law also stipulates that the presidential elections should be announced at least 50 days ago.
This leaves a 11 -day window for elections from May 24 to June 3, although analysts expect voting on the last day.
Observers indicate that the third of June, which is the sixtieth day of the ruling of the Constitutional Court, as the most vulnerable date, where the elections are expected to be postponed to the maximum extent to providing the time for the political parties to prepare for preparation for the preliminary elections and campaigns.
Yonhap said that when former president John Hai was dismissed from her post on March 10, 2017, the early elections were also held 60 days after May 9.
While the presidential elections, the general elections and the local elections are held in “Wednesday”, this rule does not apply in the case of early presidential elections, so a date can be set on Tuesday.
If the elections are confirmed on June 3, the official registration period will be from 10 to 11 May, and the official campaign period will continue from May 12 to the day before the elections or June 2.
The law also requires a public employee who is running for the presidency to resign at least 30 days before the elections, which makes the fourth of May the deadline for candidacy, and it is expected to be held on May 29-30.
Anger among Yoon’s supporters
The trends exploded from thousands of participants in a demonstration calling for the isolation of Yun upon hearing the ruling, and chanted: “We have won!”
On the other hand, the reaction of Yoon supporters who gathered near his official residence was angry, and Yonhap Agency reported that a demonstrator was arrested after breaking a police bus window.
Coone Young-Si, the temporary leader of the ruling People’s Authority Party, to which Yoon belongs to an apology to the people, said that the party accepts respect for the court’s ruling, and pledged to work with the President’s Acting Acting to achieve stability in the country.
The opposition is constructed: a victory for the people
For his part, the Democratic Party, the main opposition in the country, praised the decision of the Constitutional Court to overthrow President Yun Suk Yol, describing it as a “great victory for the people.”
Shortly after the court ruling was announced, Representative Zhou Song Ray, the chief spokesman for the Democratic Party, expressed his deep appreciation to the people “to lead the nation again during the crisis.”
“Today coincides with a historical day, we defended the constitution, and we have preserved democracy against the forces that sought to destroy it,” Zhu said.
Yoon and the Party of the People’s Authority urged to “accept the will of the people and the court’s decision with humility” and apologize sincerely to the nation, and said: “We will continue to serve the will of the people with more humility and design.”
The ruling People’s Authority Party commented on the ruling, saying that it “accepted” the court’s economic ruling.
Economic calls to overcome political conflict
On the economic side, the major business organizations in South Korea called on Friday to a quick return to state affairs and national unity to revive the economy.
South Korea closely monitors any impact on local companies and the economy from the US President’s decision to impose customs duties on the goods coming from Mexico, Canada and China
The Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said in a statement that “the business community respects the ruling of the Constitutional Court,” stressing the need to overcome political conflict and focus on national efforts to achieve economic recovery.
“Given the seriousness of the current economic situation, including the slowdown in domestic demand, the weak competitiveness in the main industries and the increase in protectionist measures, such as US tariffs, we hope that state affairs will return to normal quickly,” the Chamber said.
While the Korean Companies Union (KEF) said: “The public must accept the ruling, and put an end to the deep political and societal divisions resulting from the isolation procedures. It is time to focus national energy on social cohesion and stability.”
The Union also called on the government and the National Assembly to show the leadership of the two parties and the current power vacuum and the national division.
The Federation of Medium Market Companies in Korea said that the court’s decision reflects “the collective wisdom of the South Korean people under a democratic system.”
The government urged to activate all available diplomatic channels and create a cooperative framework with the private sector to overcome world trade challenges, including the new customs tariff procedures announced by US President Donald Trump.
