Power change after 3 years
President Lee Jae Myung came into office in June, filling the void left by former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The transition reshaped the political landscape. The conservative People Power Party saw its public support erode, while the Democratic Party of Korea moved swiftly to press its legislative agenda, spanning judicial and prosecution reforms as well as changes to the government's structure.
In governing style, Lee has sought to underscore a break from his predecessor by prioritizing visibility and procedural legitimacy. Cabinet meetings and ministry briefings have been aired live, alongside public town hall-style sessions, during his first six months in office.
Among the most symbolic moves, Lee returned the presidential office to Cheong Wa Dae, which had served as the presidential workplace for 74 years until Yoon moved it to the Yongsan complex in May 2022.
Lee has also moved to project political inclusiveness, appointing Kwon Oh-eul as veterans affairs minister and nominating Lee Hye-hoon to senior posts — both former three-term conservative lawmakers.
A year of special counsels and clashes
On Jan. 15, former President Yoon Suk Yeol became the first sitting president in Korean history to be taken into custody by investigative authorities over his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. And on April 4, he was removed from office following a unanimous ruling by the Constitutional Court.
However, the turmoil continued with three simultaneous special counsel investigations and an intensifying political divide.
The special counsel investigations -- one
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