South Korea local elections: 11% turnout by 10 a.m., Gwangju lowest

Voter turnout for South Korea's 9th National Simultaneous Local Elections reached 11.0% by 10 a.m. on election day, June 3. This figure represents 4,908,603 voters casting their ballots across the nation.

The current turnout indicates a slight increase compared to the same period in the 2022 local elections, which recorded 8.7% at 10 a.m. The morning's participation shows a steady rise from the 7.4% turnout recorded by 9 a.m. on election day.

Geographically, voter engagement varied across the country. Gangwon Province recorded the highest turnout at 13.3%, demonstrating strong participation in the region. In contrast, Gwangju reported the lowest turnout, with 7.3% of eligible voters having cast their ballots by 10 a.m.

Other major regions also showed participation rates around the national average. Seoul's turnout stood at 10.2%, while Gyeonggi Province recorded 10.6%. Busan's turnout matched the national average at 11.0%.

Polling stations opened at 6 a.m. and will remain open until 6 p.m. nationwide. Voters are reminded to bring valid identification to cast their ballots.