Lee Jae-myung leads polls as voters choose amid political upheaval, economic fears, and Trump’s tariff hike.
Millions of South Koreans are casting their ballots Tuesday in a high-stakes snap election, just months after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and removed from office for briefly imposing martial law in December. He now faces trial on rebellion charges.
Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung is the clear frontrunner, riding a wave of public anger toward Yoon’s conservative camp. His main rival, Kim Moon Soo, has struggled to unite moderates as his party grapples with internal divisions and backlash over Yoon’s actions.
The new president will take office immediately on Wednesday, skipping the traditional two-month transition. Whoever wins will face mounting challenges, including a sluggish economy, rising tensions with North Korea, and a looming trade dispute as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to raise steel and aluminum tariffs to 50% starting June 4.
More than 15 million people—nearly 35% of eligible voters—cast their ballots early during a two-day advance voting period. Final results are expected late Tuesday night.
Both Lee and Kim have pledged pragmatic diplomacy, supporting ties with the U.S. and regional partners. But analysts warn that financial markets and foreign policy space remain fragile amid Trump’s America-first policies.
Prospects for improving relations with North Korea appear slim, with Kim Jong Un ignoring diplomatic overtures and prioritizing ties with Russia. Lee has acknowledged a summit with the North is unlikely in the near future, though he supports renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue.
The outcome of today’s vote will shape South Korea’s direction for the next five years—at a time of growing uncertainty both at home and abroad.
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Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
The death of a laboratory employee at a Russian plague research institute in Siberia has triggered a major public health response and international scrutiny, while authorities say there is no evidence of an outbreak.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing its captain and endangering a civilian crew that included Azerbaijani and Indian nationals.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
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