The state election watchdog will not hold byelections early to fill potential vacancies in public office that arise after February 28, even if President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment is upheld by the Constitutional Court prompting an early presidential election.

According to the National Election Commission(NEC) on Friday, it has decided to concurrently hold byelections for such vacancies that arise until February 28, along with a possible presidential election.

The byelections for pre-March 1 vacancies, under the Public Official Election Act, are to be held concurrently with any presidential election, if the court's impeachment ruling is made before March 13, when byelection candidate registration is set to begin.

Even if the court ruling comes later and the presidential election is held before June, the NEC has decided to put off the byelections for vacancies that arise between March and May until the latter half of the year.

While an official at the election watchdog said the decision was made in consideration of a lack of time to prepare for byelections, the latter-half byelections may not be held at all if the remaining term in office is less than one year.