Likely candidates for South Korean president in May 9 election

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea is to hold a presidential election on May 9 to choose a successor to Park Geun-hye, who was removed from office in a historic court ruling last week over a widening corruption scandal.

Park's replacement will face a host of problems: a growing threat from nuclear-capable North Korea that has prompted deployment of a U.S. missile-defence system, Chinese retaliation against Korea businesses over that deployment, and pressure to reform the family-run conglomerates that played a key role in the scandal that caused Park's downfall.