Early voting for South Korea's June 3 local elections ended Saturday with a record turnout of 23.51 percent. More than 10.4 million voters cast ballots out of 44.6 million registered. The main vote takes place Wednesday.
The two-day early voting period across the country concluded at 6 p.m. Saturday. Turnout stood at 11.6 percent on the first day and 11.91 percent on the second day. This exceeds the 20.62 percent recorded in the 2022 local elections.
By region, South Jeolla Province recorded the highest turnout at 38.95 percent, while Daegu posted the lowest at 18.65 percent. Seoul's turnout reached 23.84 percent. Early voting for the parliamentary by-elections came to 24.12 percent.
President Lee Jae Myung wrote on social media that "giving up voting is the same as giving up your and your family's future." He and first lady Kim Hea Kyung cast their ballots Friday at a community center near Cheong Wa Dae. The elections mark the first major nationwide vote for the Lee administration since it took office last June.
