Lee Ju is serving as the interim president of South Korea amid a sudden political crisis.

Jo Ho, the South Korean Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister, assumed the interim presidency of the country this Friday morning, following the resignation of his predecessor Han Duck Soo, who officially announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections in June.

This step comes at a time of internal political tension, following the sudden resignation of the Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang Mook, who was supposed to succeed Han, due to threats of impeachment by the opposition.

Upon taking office, Jo Ho immediately ordered the military readiness to be raised to the highest level, emphasizing the need to ensure stability and sound governance without any vacuum or confusion in managing state affairs.

This development follows a period of political unrest that began with the suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol's duties, following his declaration of martial law last December, citing political threats from his opponents.

Han Duck Soo, who has been Prime Minister since 2022 and was a former ambassador to the United States, has now become one of the leading "conservative" candidates in the presidential race, facing a potential challenge from Lee Jae Myung, the candidate of the "Liberal Democratic Party."

The South Korean political scene is expected to witness rapid alliances and changes, especially with the imminent announcement of the official candidate of the "People Power Party" in the coming hours.

South Korea is entering a delicate transitional phase, where security and stability top the priorities of the interim leadership, as political competition intensifies ahead of pivotal elections that could reshape the country's governance landscape.