Record 19.58 pct cast ballots on 1st day of early voting for presidential election

An all-time high of 19.58 percent of voters cast their ballots Thursday on the first day of early voting for the upcoming presidential election to elect the successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his failed martial law bid.

The two-day early voting began at 3,568 polling stations nationwide earlier in the day. The official election is slated for next Tuesday.

More than 8.69 million out of 44,391,871 registered voters, or 19.58 percent, cast their ballots from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).

It marked the highest first-day turnout since nationwide early voting was introduced in 2014.

The figure is 2.01 percentage points higher than the corresponding turnout for the previous presidential election held in 2022, which stood at 17.57 percent.

Meanwhile, the NEC issued an apology over poor management of ballot papers at a polling station in western Seoul, where some voters were seen taking their ballots outside due to long waiting lines.

“We poorly managed the pace of issuance of ballot papers while many people were waiting in line,” the NEC said in a statement. “We take responsibility for any misconduct by officials at the polling station and offer sincere apologies to the people.”

Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung cast his ballot in Seoul, while People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo voted in the city of Incheon earlier in the day. Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party (NRP) and Kwon Young-kook of the minor Democratic Labor Party candidate also voted.

“The insurrection can only be truly overcome through the active participation of our citizens in the election,” Lee said after casting his ballot with young voters, stressing that voting is the most powerful way to exercise one’s sovereignty.

He also explained that casting his vote alongside young voters reflects his hope for South Korea to “return to an era led by the youth.”

After the vote, Lee continued campaigning across several districts in Seoul, including Gangdong, Songpa, Seocho and Gwanak.

The capital area, where half of the country’s population resides, is considered a key battleground.

Meanwhile, Kim voted with his daughter in Incheon’s Gyeyang district, the constituency of his DP rival.

“If you don’t vote, there’s no hope for this country,” Kim said, warning that voting for his DP rival will “take away freedom.”

The PPP’s campaign committee said Kim’s decision to vote in his rival’s constituency reflects his determination to “turn the tide” in Lee’s political stronghold.

During his campaign stop, Kim also visited Freedom Park in Incheon, west of Seoul, and paid tribute to the statue of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who led the pivotal Incheon Landing Operation in 1950 that helped turn the tide of the 1950-53 Korean War.

He urged voters to cast their ballots during the early voting period or on election day.

The NRP’s Lee cast his early vote in Dongtan, his home constituency, before heading to Pangyo 2nd Techno Valley in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, and other districts to appeal to university students and the young population.

Kwon Young-kook, the Democratic Labor Party candidate, voted in the southern city of Yeosu.

Currently, six hopefuls are vying for the presidential office.

The latest poll on the presidential election, published Wednesday, showed the DP’s Lee in the lead at 49.2 percent, followed by Kim of the PPP with 36.8 percent. Lee Jun-seok came in third with 10.3 percent support.

The single five-year term of the next president will begin immediately following the election.