The election scheduled for Tuesday was called after the removal of Yoon Suk Yeol, who had briefly declared martial law in December, surprising many South Koreans who believed such military interventions in democracy were a thing of the past.

The liberal frontrunner, Lee Jae-myung, pledged to heal the social divisions that deepened following Yoon’s martial law announcement. He also criticized his opponent and Yoon’s party, accusing them of supporting insurrection.

“We face a crucial moment: will we continue as a democratic republic or turn into a dictatorship?” Lee declared during a rally in Seoul, a key battleground city.

If elected, Lee said his immediate focus would be tackling economic challenges, prioritizing relief for middle- and low-income households and support for small business owners.

After campaigning in pivotal swing areas and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo’s strongholds, Lee concentrated on the capital region, which holds the largest share of South Korea’s 44.39 million voters.

About 40,000 people attended Lee’s final rally near the National Assembly, where he and other lawmakers had previously voted to end the martial law six months earlier as soldiers were blocked from entering the building.

Kim started his final day on Jeju Island before traveling north, accusing Lee of being a “dangerous man” who would misuse presidential power and dominate parliament under a “Hitler-style” dictatorship if elected.

The conservative candidate apologized again for the imposition of martial law and promised political reforms.

“Martial law was a mistake, along with other wrongdoings. I vow that politics in Korea will change,” Kim said at his last rally near Seoul City Hall.

Both candidates were set to conclude their official three-week campaigns at midnight in Seoul, with polls opening nationwide at 6 a.m. Tuesday. The election winner will be confirmed on Wednesday and will assume office almost immediately, due to the previous president’s removal by the Constitutional Court in early April, bypassing the usual two-month transition period.

As the country approaches a snap presidential election scheduled for June 3, Lee and his Democratic Party encouraged voters to participate, portraying the election as a chance to restore stability following the political fallout from former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law in December.

“Our national reputation has suffered, but these things still happen. We must put systems in place to make such actions impossible,” Lee said during a YouTube livestream.

He emphasized that recovering from what he described as an attempted insurrection was essential for the nation’s survival, while also pledging to prioritize economic development and national unity.

Lee’s proposed constitutional reform would include stricter requirements for enacting martial law, such as mandating that any such decision receive parliamentary approval within 24 hours.

Early voter participation increased on Friday, with turnout reaching 34.74% by 6 p.m., marking the second-highest rate on record following a surge on Thursday.

Lee also advocated for an independent investigation into the December 3 martial law incident to ensure accountability, though he suggested leniency for military personnel who hesitated to carry out controversial commands.

Yoon Yeo-jun, head of the Democratic Party’s campaign, described the election as a turning point to prevent a repeat of what he called the “Yoon Suk Yeol tragedy.”

Lee’s conservative opponent, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, criticized Lee’s camp for what he referred to as a “legislative dictatorship,” pledging to resist such tendencies if elected.