President of South Korea

President of the Republic of Korea
대한민국 대통령
大韓民國大統領
Incumbent
Yoon Suk Yeol (left)
since 10 May 2022
(Powers and duties suspended since 14 December 2024)

Acting President
Choi Sang-mok (right)
since 27 December 2024
Executive branch of the Government of South Korea
Office of the President
Style
Status
Member of
ResidencePresidential Residence of South Korea
SeatSeoul
AppointerDirect popular vote
Term lengthFive years, non-renewable
Constituting instrumentConstitution of South Korea
PrecursorPresident of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
Formation24 July 1948; 76 years ago (1948-07-24)
First holderSyngman Rhee
Unofficial namesPresident of South Korea
DeputyPrime Minister of South Korea
Salary₩240,648,000/USD$ 165,084 annually (2024)[1]
WebsiteOfficial website (in English)
Official website (in Korean)

The president of the Republic of Korea (Korean대한민국 대통령; Hanja大韓民國大統領; RRDaehanminguk daetongnyeong), also known as the president of Korea (Korean한국 대통령), is both the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Korea. The president is directly elected by the citizens of the Republic of Korea and pledges to execute the duties of their office, chief among others "to defend the State, (and to) pursue peaceful unification of the homeland." The president leads the State Council, is the chief of the executive branch of the national government and the commander-in-chief of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

The Constitution of South Korea and the amended Presidential Election Act of 1987 provide for election of the president by direct, secret ballot, ending sixteen years of indirect presidential elections under the preceding two authoritarian governments. The president is directly elected to a five-year term, with no possibility of re-election.[2] If a presidential vacancy should occur, a successor must be elected within sixty days, during which time presidential duties are to be performed by the prime minister or other senior cabinet members in the order of priority as determined by law. The president is exempt from criminal liability (except for insurrection or treason).

The current president, Yoon Suk Yeol, a former prosecutor general and member of the conservative People Power Party, assumed office on 10 May 2022,[3][4] after defeating the Democratic Party's nominee Lee Jae-myung with a narrow 48.5% plurality in the 2022 South Korean presidential election.[5] However, he was impeached on 14 December 2024, suspending his powers; Prime Minister Han Duck-soo served briefly as acting president[6] until his own impeachment on 27 December 2024, leading Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok to assume the role of acting president.[7]

  1. ^ Executive Order: 공무원보수규정(제31380호)(20210105) / (별표 32) 고정급적 연봉제 적용대상 공무원의 연봉표(제35조 관련) (in Korean)
  2. ^ Article 70 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea.
  3. ^ "Yoon Suk Yeol to be sworn in as South Korea's new president". Kyodo News. Seoul. 10 May 2022.
  4. ^ Haye-Ah, Lee (10 May 2022). "(LEAD) Yoon to take oath of office as S. Korea's new president". Yonhap News Agency. Seoul.
  5. ^ Choon, Chang May (11 March 2022). "Justice icon Yoon Suk Yeol elected new South Korea president, but rocky road ahead". The Straits Times. Seoul. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  6. ^ Lee, Joyce (14 December 2024). "Who is Han Duck-soo, South Korea's acting president after Yoon impeachment?". Reuters. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  7. ^ "South Korea's acting president Han Duck-soo impeached". CNA. Retrieved 27 December 2024.

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