Story highlights South Koreans set to go to the polls May 9

Special election convened after ex-leader's impeachment upheld less than a week ago

(CNN) The date for South Korea's presidential election has been announced, with the country set to vote on its next leader nearly two months after a court upheld the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.

The country's presidential elections will take place on May 9, Interior Minister Hong Yun-sik said Wednesday. Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn will not run in the election, he confirmed.

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"I have concluded that it is not appropriate for me to run in the election, to maintain stable national security and manage a fair election," Hwang said.

The special election was announced following the downfall of Park, the first female South Korean leader. Last week the country's Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach Park over allegations of corruption and cronyism.

With the ruling, she became the country's first democratically elected leader to be forcibly removed.

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