With Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party winning the election in spectacular fashion, voters in South Korea have shifted their allegiance to the right following five years of liberal faction rule under Democratic Party of Korea President Moon Jae-in, signaling a shift in the country's political landscape.
In many ways, Yoon's victory represents South Korea's desire to bring justice and equality to society, particularly after many people were dissatisfied with the performance of the Moon government, which came to power in part because of voters' desire for the same five years ago.
Many people were outraged to see that Moon was appointing problematic candidates to critical positions and reportedly assisting his cronies while promoting a divisive agenda. The Democratic Party unilaterally pushed through its own plans, completely disregarding the concerns of those who opposed them.
Candlelight protestors entrusted Moon with the task of enacting equality and justice, but it appears that no substantial political change has taken place, and even the reform initiatives that have been put forward have failed to provide the results that were expected.
With an overwhelming victory in the April 2021 by-elections, voters showed their determination to overturn the Moon government and bring about yet another shift in the country, and they have done it once more in the presidential election, albeit by a lesser margin this time.
The fact that Yoon has a long prosecutorial career that has included rigorous investigations into both major political factions has been emphasized from the beginning of his campaign that he is a candidate who can restore justice to Korean society. This is supported by his long prosecutorial career, which has included rigorous investigations into both major political factions.
A key role in the probe into corruption and embezzlement by deposed President Park Geun-hye of the conservative caucus, the former prosecutor-general also authorized inquiries into allegations of power abuse against former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, who was a close ally of Moon.
The people of South Korea have fiercely wanted justice and impartial government control from the beginning, ever since the scandals surrounding Park Il-sung surfaced and prompted people to hold protests for months, eventually leading to Park's impeachment and removal from office. They needed a figure who would symbolize the fundamental ideals of a democratic government, work for the people, and hold those in authority accountable for their actions.
In light of Yoon's apparent track record of remaining loyal to the people rather than to particular groups, it was sufficient for voters to place their faith in a political rookie to head the government, provided that fairness and impartiality can be ensured throughout the process.
Following his election, the president-elect will be forced to lead a minority administration, and he is anticipated to encounter significant resistance from members of the National Assembly, which is dominated by members of the Democratic Party.
Yoon had pledged to engage with leaders from a variety of political groups, and his vision may have been mirrored in the process of putting together the Cabinet of Ministers.
Due to the fact that Yoon won the election by such a narrow margin over his opponent, public opinion of him and his party is not entirely supportive of them, and deals will need to be struck with other political parties and factions in order for his administration to truly move forward and bring about meaningful change.
As a result of his triumph, South Korea now has the opportunity to try again to build a coalition government and satisfy people's expectations of nonpartisan, clean politics.
As part of his efforts to attract important leaders from the Democratic Party to serve in key cabinet positions, Yoon is expected to follow through on the agreement he established with Ahn Cheol-soo, a minor centrist candidate from the People's Party, to unite their candidacies.
"There really isn't much that Yoon Suk-yeol can do as president in this stalled position with the Democratic Party-dominated National Assembly," local political pundit Rhee Jong-hoon told The Korea Herald. "Yoon Suk-presidency yeol's is effectively powerless in this circumstance."
As a result, he will be compelled to select Cabinet members from both political parties in order to manage his administration, even though it is unclear whether the Democratic Party would agree to join him at his request.
According to Yoon and his party, the Democratic Party alone controls 172 out of 300 legislative seats in the National Assembly, indicating that the party may encounter difficulties in implementing any of the programs and projects that it has pledged.
As a result of Yoon's election victory, the prosecution is expected to gain more power and authority, partly as a result of Yoon's previous experience as a prosecutor and partly as a result of the expected opening of new investigations into alleged corruption by Yoon's presidential election rival Lee Jae-Myung of the Democratic Party and the Moon administration.
In the event that he is elected, Yoon has publicly stated his intention to begin an investigation against the current government, which has been seen by opponents as an attempt at "political payback."
If the investigations begin as planned, they will almost certainly be a continuation of the troubled history of previous South Korean administrations. It is likely that the Democratic Party would make extensive use of its legislative majority to thwart such initiatives.
Lee came within 0.73 percentage points of winning the election, with 47.83 percent of voters siding with the liberal party's nominee, according to exit polls. These two statistics should not be taken lightly, as any actions that are detrimental to these voters might serve as a springboard for other negative legacies that South Korea may have to suffer.
Political leaders from the Democratic Party will also be putting pressure on Yoon over allegations that were made against him during the presidential campaign. Yoon will have to respond carefully to these allegations if he wants to maintain the public's confidence in him to lead the administrative branch for the next five years.
As a result of his years as a prosecutor, Yoon has also been accused of involvement in corruption scandals, as has his wife Kim Keon-hee, who has been accused of possible involvement in stock price manipulation and falsely reporting her credentials on her resume when applying for teaching positions in the past, among other things.
However, while Yoon's win indicates that a greater number of voters were likely to support the conservative bloc over its liberal challenger, the outcome does not imply that South Koreans have shifted to the right. It only serves to highlight the fact that the proportion of swing voters has increased, and that the game of elections has evolved beyond just counting votes based on age group and regional party affiliation.
According to the voter turnout of 77.1 percent, voters have clearly expressed a greater interest in participating in the game of politics. However, they have also grown more comfortable making political decisions based on their own interests and agenda, rather than on their traditional allegiance to political ideologies or interest groups, as evidenced by the election results.
Yoon's actions during the first several months of his presidency will also be critical in determining the outcome of the municipal elections set for June.
Despite the fact that many analysts predicted months ago that the party that wins the presidential election will continue its winning record into the local elections, voters have demonstrated that they are practically evenly divided.
At this moment, it appears that no political faction has a clear lead over the others in the run-up to another important election. Voters might become volatile depending on the course of events in the future, and the political establishment is well aware that these electors are willing to make thoughtful judgments in the pursuit of their own self-interests.
