AP PHOTOS: South Koreans brace for a pivotal snap presidential election
Supporters of Kim Moon Soo, presidential candidate with the People Power Party, attend his election campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, late Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Koreans are preparing to go to the polls Tuesday to elect a new president to succeed conservative Yoon Suk Yeol. He was ousted over his brief but shocking imposition of martial law.
The winner of the snap election will be sworn in as president the next day without the typical two-month transition.
Here is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
A member of South Korea’s police special operations unit patrols a venue with a dog ahead of a presidential election campaign of candidate Lee Jae-myung, in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A member of South Korea’s police special operations unit patrols a venue with a dog ahead of a presidential election campaign of candidate Lee Jae-myung, in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
South Korea’s People Power Party’s presidential candidate Kim Moon Soo is greeted by a woman during a presidential election campaign in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korea’s People Power Party’s presidential candidate Kim Moon Soo is greeted by a woman during a presidential election campaign in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A security personnel looks through a binocular during a presidential election campaign of South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung at Jamsil Sports Complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A security personnel looks through a binocular during a presidential election campaign of South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung at Jamsil Sports Complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
People wait in line to cast their early votes for the June 3 presidential election near a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
People wait in line to cast their early votes for the June 3 presidential election near a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A supporter of South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, holds a sign reading " Lee Jae-myung” during a presidential election campaign in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A supporter of South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, holds a sign reading " Lee Jae-myung” during a presidential election campaign in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
South Korea’s New Reform Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok, speaks during a presidential election campaign in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
South Korea’s New Reform Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok, speaks during a presidential election campaign in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A boy waits for his mother casting her early vote for the June 3 presidential election at a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A boy waits for his mother casting her early vote for the June 3 presidential election at a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
From left: South Korea’s presidential candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, Kwon Young-guk of the Democratic Labor Party, Kim Moon Soo of the People Power Party and Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party pose for photograph ahead of a 3rd televised presidential debate for the forthcoming June 3 presidential election at MBC studio on May 27, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. (Kim Min-Hee/Kyodo, Pool via AP)
From left: South Korea’s presidential candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, Kwon Young-guk of the Democratic Labor Party, Kim Moon Soo of the People Power Party and Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party pose for photograph ahead of a 3rd televised presidential debate for the forthcoming June 3 presidential election at MBC studio on May 27, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. (Kim Min-Hee/Kyodo, Pool via AP)
South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, second left, hurls a baseball ball during a presidential election campaign at Jamsil Sports Complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, second left, hurls a baseball ball during a presidential election campaign at Jamsil Sports Complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A supporter of People Power Party’s presidential candidate Kim Moon Soo stands ahead of a televised debate for the upcoming June 3 presidential election, outside MBC studio in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A supporter of People Power Party’s presidential candidate Kim Moon Soo stands ahead of a televised debate for the upcoming June 3 presidential election, outside MBC studio in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Supporters of South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential election candidate Lee Jae-myung, cheer during a presidential election campaign in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Supporters of South Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential election candidate Lee Jae-myung, cheer during a presidential election campaign in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Supporters of Kim Moon Soo, presidential candidate with the People Power Party, attend his election campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, late Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Supporters of Kim Moon Soo, presidential candidate with the People Power Party, attend his election campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, late Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Kim Moon Soo, presidential candidate with the People Power Party, center, bows before supporters attending his election campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, late Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Kim Moon Soo, presidential candidate with the People Power Party, center, bows before supporters attending his election campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, late Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)