New president to take office without transition period

Presidential Security Service agents conduct an inauguration parade rehearsal at the Security Education Center in Gangseo District, Seoul, Tuesday, ahead of the presidential inauguration ceremony. Yonhap

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 time, the commission plans to hold a meeting for the certification between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Upon the certification, all presidential authorities will be transferred to the new leader from the current acting President Lee Ju-ho, who is deputy prime minister and education minister.

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, including appointments and budget revisions.

Then-President Moon Jae-in announces the appointment of key officials during a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in this photo from May 10, 2017. Korea Times photo by Ko Young-kwon

In 2017, the Moon administration dealt with this challenge by establishing the State Affairs Planning Advisory Committee as an alternative to a formal transition team. The committee’s first chairman, Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, said it had two missions: to define the new government’s national goals and vision, and to translate campaign pledges into actionable policies that aligned with fiscal realities.

This year, the two main candidates have outlined similar plans to hit the ground running.

Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea pledged to form an emergency economic task force on his first day in office. “The new government must take the helm of a shipwrecked nation on June 4,” he said.

Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party vowed to order a 30 trillion won ($21.7 billion) supplementary budget as his first directive. He also plans to set up an “emergency economic war room” to gather input from experts and form an advisory group to recommend candidates for his Cabinet.

During Moon’s presidency, the absence of a transition team meant acting officials filled key roles for months. Yoo Il-ho, the deputy prime minister and finance minister under Park, served as acting prime minister until Moon’s appointment was finalized. A similar scenario is expected this time, with acting officials like acting President Lee Ju-ho likely to stay in their posts until a new prime minister is nominated and confirmed.

Officials at the Ministry of Economy and Finance have voiced concerns that the incoming administration has had no opportunity to coordinate on key fiscal matters due to the compressed election timeline. They warn that without a proper transition process, the new government will struggle to handle urgent issues such as a second supplementary budget and the 2026 budget proposal.

The lack of a transition period is also expected to complicate the formation of the new Cabinet. Under the law, a prime minister must formally recommend Cabinet member candidates to the president. Precedent suggests this process could take months — it took 195 days for Moon to finalize his Cabinet, the longest in Korean history.

People watch a live broadcast of the second candidates' debate of the presidential election at Seoul Station, May 23. Yonhap

Inauguration ceremony

Attention is also turning to the upcoming inauguration ceremony. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety, tasked with organizing the event, is expected to keep the ceremony modest, citing time constraints and the difficulty of inviting foreign dignitaries on short notice.

In 2017, Moon’s inauguration was a stripped-down affair at the National Assembly’s Rotunda Hall, attended by around 300 guests. By contrast, his predecessor Park’s ceremony in 2013 drew more than 70,000, and Yoon’s inauguration in 2022 attracted over 40,000.

This year’s ceremony is likely to follow the simpler model, focusing on a brief oath-taking and inaugural address, with fewer formalities such as military processions, performances or large-scale stage setups. Invitations will likely go to top government officials and party leaders, with efforts to avoid political controversy over the guest list. The interior ministry is preparing the ceremony to take place at the Assembly at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

The urgency of the situation has also reignited debate over the structure of Korea’s political system. Calls for reforms — including stronger safeguards against abrupt power transitions and better coordination between the finance ministry and the incoming government — are expected to gain traction after the election.