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DP calls on acting president to swiftly announce snap presidential election date

Published: 06 Apr. 2025, 16:04

Rep. Kim Yoon-deok, secretary general of the Democratic Party at left, speaks at a press conference at the National Assembly on April 6 in western Seoul. [YONHAP]

The Democratic Party (DP) on Sunday called on acting President Han Duck-soo to swiftly announce the date of a snap presidential election, triggered by the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Rep. Kim Yoon-deok, secretary general of the DP, made the call two days after the Constitutional Court ruled to remove Yoon from office over his brief martial law declaration in December.

Korea must hold a snap presidential election within 60 days of the court's decision to uphold the impeachment of a president. Han is widely expected to hold a Cabinet meeting this week to set the date, with June 3, the last legally permitted day, emerging as the most likely date.

Acting President Han "should swiftly announce the date of the presidential election and declare political neutrality," Kim said during a press conference at the National Assembly.

He said Yoon's ouster does not absolve him of responsibility for a criminal act, referring to Yoon's trial on charges of inciting an insurrection through his martial law bid.

"A clear punishment should be handed down [to Yoon] to prevent an attempt to overthrow the democratic system in an unconstitutional and unlawful manner as well as by force, and to take away the people's livelihoods and sovereign rights," Kim claimed.

Rival parties are gearing up for the upcoming election, possibly in June, to win over voters amid deeply divided public sentiment over Yoon's impeachment.

DP leader Lee Jae-myung is likely to step down as party chair around Wednesday to run for the presidential election. Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 election, has been leading in early polls despite his own legal troubles.

Later in the day, the People Power Party plans to hold a meeting of its party members to discuss preparations for the upcoming election.

Yonhap