Yoon impeached: Who could be South Korea’s next president?

Possible presidential contenders (clockwise from top left) Lee Jae-myung, Han Dong-hoon, Oh Se-hoon, Hong Joon-pyo and Kim Dong-yeon. | PHOTOS: AFP, OHSEHOON/FACEBOOK, HONGJOONPYO/FACEBOOK, KIMDONGYEON/FACEBOOK

SEOUL – President Yoon Suk Yeol’s term is set to end on May 9, 2027, but with the prospect of his early departure from office, that timeline is likely to be moved up significantly.

This scenario became more likely after the National Assembly on Dec 14 voted to impeach him, suspending him from his duties while the Constitutional Court reviews whether to uphold or dismiss his removal from office.

While there is a chance, theoretically, that Mr Yoon is reinstated through the trial, South Korea’s political discussions are already shifting to who could be the next leader.

READ: South Korea’s opposition chief urges top court to act swiftly on impeachment

According to a recent poll conducted by Embrain Public on Dec 10 – a week after Yoon’s botched martial law – among 1,005 voters aged 18 and above, 37 per cent chose main opposition Democratic Party chairman Lee Jae-myung as their preferred next leader of South Korea.

Trailing behind him are former justice minister and ruling People Power Party chief Han Dong-hoon with 7 per cent, and Mr Cho Kuk, leader of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, with 6 per cent.

READ: South Korean president faces second martial law impeachment vote

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and Gyeonggi province’s Governor Kim Dong-yeon garnered 5 per cent, 4 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively. The mayors of Seoul and Daegu are members of the conservative ruling bloc, while the Gyeonggi province chief is a member of the Democratic Party.

Democratic Party chairman Lee Jae-myung is currently the front runner among potential presidential contenders. | PHOTO: AFP

The 60-year-old Lee was the presidential candidate for the liberal bloc in the 2022 election, losing to Mr Yoon by just 0.73 percentage point, the smallest margin in South Korean history.

READ: South Korean president banned from leaving country

While he is currently the front runner among potential presidential contenders, there are significant risks: His eligibility to run in any future election could be jeopardised by several ongoing trials.

He faces five legal cases, including charges of election law violations, perjury, corruption tied to a large development project, illegal remittances to North Korea and misuse of corporate credit cards.

READ: South Korean president abandons martial law attempt

In November, a local court sentenced him to one year in prison, suspended for two years, in his first trial on charges of violating election law.

Han Dong-hoon

Former justice minister Han Dong-hoon is chief of the ruling People Power Party.| PHOTO: AFP

Mr Han, 51, is a star prosecutor-turned-politician, much like Mr Yoon. He had been Mr Yoon’s staunchest ally in the prosecution and during the early days of his presidency.

In 2022, Mr Han was handpicked by Mr Yoon to serve as his first justice minister. During his stint as minister, his confrontational exchanges with opposition lawmakers in parliamentary sessions earned him a loyal following among right-wing voters.

In 2023, Mr Han stepped into a more direct political role as interim leader of the People Power Party following the resignation of Mr Kim Gi-hyeon. Though he faced setbacks, resigning after the party’s defeat in the general election in April, Mr Han re-entered the political arena and was elected party leader again in July.

Oh Se-hoon

Mr Oh Se-hoon is the first Seoul mayor in South Korea’s history to be elected to four terms.PHOTO: OHSEHOON/FACEBOOK

Mr Oh, 63, was re-elected as Seoul mayor in 2022, and has since emerged as another potential presidential contender.

The Seoul mayoralty has long been seen as a pathway to the presidency. Former president Lee Myung-bak held the position before winning the 2007 election.

Mr Oh was first elected Seoul mayor in 2006, serving for five years. After a failed referendum to block a move to make free school meal provisions universal, he resigned in his second term. He returned to office in 2021 in a by-election and secured a fourth term in 2022.

He is the first Seoul mayor in South Korea’s history to be elected to four terms.

Hong Joon-pyo

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo is a conservative firebrand, known for his bold language and carefree demeanour. | PHOTO: HONGJUNPYO/FACEBOOK

Mr Hong, currently Daegu mayor, was Mr Yoon’s main contender in the right-wing presidential primary.

The prosecutor-turned-politician is a conservative firebrand, known for his bold language and carefree demeanour. During the right’s presidential primary in 2021, his distinctive personality resonated with many young male voters.

Mr Hong was elected mayor of Daegu, a conservative stronghold, in 2022 and has since avoided in-party conflicts and power struggles, instead voicing sharp criticism via social media.

He expressed opposition to the President’s impeachment, writing on Facebook on Dec 14: “If we believe we made a mistake in electing President Yoon, we should simply ask him to step down. Why go so far as to accuse him of insurrection, a severe crime, just to send him to prison?”

Kim Dong-yeon

An economic expert, Mr Kim Dong-yeon has held key roles in various administrations.PHOTO: KIMDONGYEON/FACEBOOK

Mr Kim, 67, is the governor of Gyeonggi province, having risen from humble beginnings, growing up in a shack after losing his father at age 11.

He graduated from Deoksu High School and worked for Hana Bank while attending law school at night.

As an economic expert, he has held key roles in various administrations, including those of presidents Moon Jae-in and Park Geun-hye. Between 2017 and 2018, he served as deputy prime minister as well as finance minister.

He ran for president in 2022. Although that campaign was unsuccessful, he went on to win the governorship of Gyeonggi province later the same year.