Yoon Suk Yeol, representing the conservative People Power Party, has been president since 2022.
He was elected by a razor-thin margin, pulling ahead of rival Lee Jae-myung – a member of the Democratic Party – by less than one percentage point.
Yoon was a newcomer to politics, having spent the previous 27 years of his career as a prosecutor.
Here’s a primer on his platform and policies:
Hardline on North Korea: Whereas his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, favored dialogue with Pyongyang, Yoon took a tougher stance. He promised to bulk up South Korea’s military, even hinting he would launch a preemptive strike if he saw signs of an offensive launch against Seoul.
US-China tightrope: South Korea has been placed in the unenviable position of having strong ties with two feuding global superpowers: the United States and China.
While Lee suggested he would try to balance both partnerships, Yoon made clear which he would prioritize.
“South Korea and the United States share an alliance forged in blood as we have fought together to protect freedom against the tyranny of communism,” Yoon said during his election campaign.
Problems at home: Yoon inherited a country still wracked by the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as corruption polarized politics – and gender equality.
South Korea’s gender war intensified in the run-up to the election, with young voters increasingly split along gender lines.
Facing a hypercompetitive job market and skyrocketing housing prices, so-called “anti-feminists” claimed the country’s bid to address gender inequality had tipped too far in women’s favor.
Feminists, meanwhile, pointed to the country’s widespread sexual violence, entrenched gender expectations and low female representation in boardrooms and in politics as examples of how discrimination against women is still rife.
