South Korea votes after a turbulent six months. Here’s what to know.

The election was called after President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office over his decision to declare martial law. Political divisions have only worsened.

7 min
People fill out ballots at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport on Thursday, during the early voting period for the country’s upcoming snap presidential election. (Jintak Han/The Washington Post)

SEOUL — South Koreans will head to the polls Tuesday to vote for a new president two years early, following the impeachment and removal of Yoon Suk Yeol for declaring martial law for the first time in the nation’s democratic history.

In typical South Korean style, campaign rallies have felt like K-pop performances, complete with choreographed dance moves and boppy tunes. But the serious issues of martial law, impeachment and democratic norms all loom large as voters cast their ballots.

Michelle Ye Hee Lee is The Washington Post's Tokyo bureau chief, covering Japan and the Korean peninsula. @myhlee
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