South Korea’s leadership vacuum has widened just one month before a pivotal presidential election and during key US trade talks. With both the president and prime minister stepping down, and the finance minister resigning minutes before impeachment, the country faces a rare moment of political fragility. Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, fourth in Cabinet rank, stepped in as acting president on Friday. This marked the fourth leadership change since former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial martial law declaration on December 3. The government now faces enormous pressure to maintain stability in both domestic and international affairs.
Lee Ju-ho took over after Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok resigned late Thursday, just before an impeachment vote led by the Democratic Party. The liberal opposition had launched the vote in reaction to a Supreme Court decision earlier that day. The court had ruled to remand the acquittal of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party’s former leader and current presidential frontrunner. Choi’s exit followed Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s resignation earlier that same day, which he timed with his presidential campaign launch. The double resignation came during sensitive trade negotiations with the US.
South Korea’s leadership vacuum became even more pressing as US-South Korea tariff talks, originally set to conclude by July 8, reached a critical phase. Choi and Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun had led negotiations with the Trump administration, holding a joint session on April 24. With Choi gone, observers fear delays or breakdowns in these talks. Economist Joo Won warned that missing a top economic policymaker could derail the process. He explained that such negotiations require minister-level authority for real decisions.
Lee Ju-ho now leads the country without any background in economic policy or diplomacy. Despite the challenges, he pledged to ensure stable governance, emphasising that state affairs run on systems, not individuals. However, many question whether the Education Ministry has the institutional capacity to support this emergency leadership role. Previously, even the Ministry of Economy and Finance struggled to keep pace when Choi briefly served as interim leader. The current situation tests every part of the administrative structure.
South Korea’s leadership vacuum also created chaos in foreign diplomatic communications. On Thursday, the Foreign Ministry sent out a notice identifying Choi as acting president. Hours later, after Choi’s sudden resignation, officials had to retract that statement. By Friday morning, they issued another update confirming Lee’s role as acting president. These rapid changes raised concerns among foreign diplomats and risked damaging South Korea’s international credibility.
The National Assembly has also become a flashpoint for partisan conflict. The Democratic Party and People Power Party remain sharply divided over the Supreme Court’s handling of Lee Jae-myung’s case. Meanwhile, Lee Ju-ho faces pressure to block Democratic Party-backed bills during his 33-day tenure. One proposed bill could halt trials against president-elects, which critics claim would benefit Lee. The People Power Party denounced it as a “bulletproof law” designed to shield their rival.
With South Korea’s leadership vacuum expected to continue until June 3, political uncertainty shows no signs of easing. Acting president Lee Ju-ho now holds the responsibility of navigating through one of the most volatile periods in South Korea’s modern history. All eyes remain on how the government balances diplomacy, elections, and legislative tension in the weeks ahead.
