New president to take office without transition period

Korea’s next president, to be elected in Tuesday's election, will assume office immediately the following day, without the customary 60-day transition period, raising concerns about the government’s readiness to manage state affairs from Day 1. The situation echoes the abrupt power shift in 2017, when former President Moon Jae-in was sworn in just one day after winning the election following Park Geun-hye’s impeachment. Under Korea’s Public Official Election Act, a president elected in a by-election begins their term as soon as the National Election Commission certifies the result. This legal framework leaves no room for a transition committee, traditionally tasked with policy reviews, budget alignment and personnel vetting. In the past, transition teams worked closely with ministries to ensure a smooth handover, as seen before the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which used its transition period to prepare a supplementary budget within three days of taking office. Without such a buffer, the new president will face immediate pressure to make critical decisions, includWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times