South Koreans to go to polls on May 9

SEOUL – South Koreans will go to the polls on May 9 to elect their 19th Head of State, following the impeachment of former President Park Guen-hye. The Presidential election day has been declared a temporary national holiday.

South Korea’s Acting President and Prime Minister, Hwang Kyo-ahn, made the announcement following a Cabinet meeting.

The second clause of Article 68 of Korea’s Constitution stipulates that if a Presidential vacancy occurs, an election must be held within 60 days.

Impeachment of the former President was the culmination of a political scandal involving interventions to the Presidency by her aide.

The impeachment vote took place on December 9, with 234 members of the 300-member National Assembly voting in favour of both impeachment and temporary suspension of Park's Presidential powers.

The Constitutional Court of Korea  upheld the impeachment on March 10 in a unanimous 8–0 decision, removing Park from office.  (ATI).