Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will announce the date of the presidential election this week as the country is preparing for an early vote after the ouster of President Park Geun-hye, an official said Sunday.

The election must be held within 60 days after Friday's Constitutional Court ruling to uphold the impeachment of Park.

Officials say the most likely date is May 9, which follows back-to-back holidays.

"The election date will be announced no later than March 17, before the mandatory deadline of March 20," said an official from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Ministry of Interior has started work to designate a date and will report it to the acting leader this week, according to the official.

On Friday, the National Election Commission began accepting applications for preliminary candidate registration, just hours after the Constitutional Court ruled to uphold the impeachment of Park.

The election watchdog chief vowed Saturday to administer the upcoming presidential by-election "transparently and fairly."

"This year's presidential election should be an opportunity to restore national unity and integration beyond conflicts and divisions," Kim Yong-deok, the chairman of the NEC, said in his address to the nation.

Noting that the election should be prepared within a short period of time, Kim said the NEC will quickly disseminate information on candidates and their policy pledges, and "sternly" respond to any election irregularities. (Yonhap)