South Korean authorities have reportedly proposed June 3 as the tentative date for a snap presidential election, according to a report by the nation’s Yonhap news agency citing a government source.

The decision is expected to be formally endorsed at an upcoming Cabinet meeting, with the source noting the importance of declaring the date a temporary public holiday to facilitate voting.

Under South Korean law, a presidential election must be held within 60 days following the Constitutional Court’s ruling to dismiss former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office on April 4 after briefly imposing martial law in late 2024. The court upheld Yoon’s impeachment in a unanimous decision ultimately bringing an end to his presidency.

The now-former President Yoon was arrested in mid January by the national Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials at his official residence in the Korean capital Seoul.

During a period spent in custody he then faced charges of insurrection against South Korea’s constitutional order, stemming from the failed attempt to impose martial law.

According to a number of early polls, it is believed that the opposition Democratic Party of Korea is set to claim the presidency although the arrest, detention and eventual impeachment of Yoon has proved highly polarising in a nation known for its level of interest in national politics on the street.