Acting President Lee calls for ‘highest-level’ defense posture, vows all support for ‘orderly, fair’ election

South Korea’s new acting President Lee Ju-ho on Friday instructed the military to raise its readiness posture to the “highest level,” and called for thorough preparations to ensure the June 3 presidential election will proceed in an “orderly” and “fair” manner.

Lee, the deputy prime minister for social affairs and education minister, gave the instructions in an emergency directive to all government ministries and agencies, and public servants after he took the role of the acting president following the resignation of former acting President Han Duck-soo and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Choi Sang-mok.

“The government should do its utmost so as to continue state governance stably without any vacuum in state affairs or any confusion,” he said in the directive.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho presides over a meeting of senior officials at the government complex in Seoul on May 1, 2025. (Yonhap)

Lee directed acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho to thoroughly manage military vigilance and preparedness and to elevate the country’s military readiness posture to the highest level to be able to respond “rapidly and sternly” to any and all types of provocations.

He also called on Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo to ensure a solid military operational command system, and to double-check and reinforce the readiness posture of all military units so as to be able to respond swiftly and sternly in the event of a contingency.

He instructed Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul to cooperate closely with key friendly nations to maintain international trust in South Korea and thoroughly respond to manage pending diplomatic issues in a “watertight” manner.

The acting president called on acting Interior Minister Ko Ki-dong to engage in active consultations with relevant ministries and provincial governments to provide all support to ensure that the upcoming presidential election will take place in a fair and orderly way.

He also instructed all public servants to maintain strict work discipline and political neutrality ahead of the presidential election.

He requested that acting Fiance Minister Kim Beom-suk make all efforts to prepare against potential financial market volatility and minimize economic uncertainties.