Approximately 5.9 million people cast their ballots by 9:00 KST on the second day of early voting for South Korea's local elections [1].
These figures provide an early indicator of voter engagement for the ninth nationwide simultaneous local elections scheduled for June 3, 2026. High early turnout often signals a motivated electorate and can influence final campaign strategies as candidates pivot to target undecided voters.
National turnout reached 13.35% as of the Tuesday morning reporting mark [1]. This figure represents an increase of 1.54 percentage points compared to the same timeframe in 2022 [1].
Regional data shows a significant disparity in participation across the country. Jeonnam recorded the highest regional turnout at 25.32% [1]. Conversely, Daegu saw the lowest participation rate at 10.37% [1].
In the capital region, Seoul's early-voting turnout rate was 12.89% [1]. Incheon followed with a turnout of 11.81% [1], while Gyeonggi province reported a rate of 11.40% [1].
YTN reporter Kim Da-hyun provided a field report from the Yeoksam 1-dong Community Center in Seoul. Kim said the site was quieter than the previous day because the area is primarily frequented by office workers [1].
Early voting is encouraged by election officials to increase overall participation by providing flexibility for citizens who cannot visit polling stations on the official election day. The current trend suggests a slight increase in civic engagement relative to the previous election cycle [1].
“Approximately 5.9 million people cast their ballots by 9:00 KST on the second day of early voting.”
The 1.54 percentage point increase over 2022 levels indicates a marginal growth in early voter mobilization. The wide gap between Jeonnam and Daegu highlights deep-seated regional voting patterns that typically characterize South Korean local politics, suggesting that regional loyalty remains a primary driver of turnout.
