South Korea Local Election Early Voting Ends with Record 23.51% Turnout

Ahead of the local elections on June 3, the two-day early voting period in South Korea concluded today. The cumulative turnout reached 23.51%, setting a new record for local elections. The early voting system was introduced in 2012 and first used in the 2013 parliamentary by-elections to increase voter turnout and provide convenience for those unable to vote on election day. Voters can cast their ballots at any of the 3,571 polling stations nationwide, regardless of their registered address. The turnout on the first day was 11.6%, the highest for the first day of any local election. According to Yonhap News, by the end of the two-day period, 10,498,411 out of 44,649,908 eligible voters had cast their ballots. While this is a record for local elections, the all-time high for any election remains the 36.93% recorded during the 2022 presidential election. By region, South Jeolla Province had the highest turnout at 38.95%, while Daegu had the lowest at 18.65%. Seoul's turnout was 23.84%.