South Korea Local Elections: Turnout Reaches 48.9% by 2 PM, Exceeding Previous Elections

Voter turnout for South Korea's 9th simultaneous local elections and National Assembly by-elections stood at 48.9% as of 2 p.m. on June 1, according to the National Election Commission. This figure incorporates the 23.51% turnout from the early voting period held on May 27-28.

A total of 21,832,984 voters out of the eligible 44,649,908 had cast their ballots by the 2 p.m. deadline. This represents a significant increase compared to the previous local elections held four years ago.

At the same time during the 8th local elections in 2018, the voter turnout was recorded at 40.7%. The current 48.9% turnout indicates a higher level of public engagement in this year's elections, with an 8.2 percentage point increase.

South Koreans are electing mayors, governors, and local council members across the country, alongside members of the National Assembly in several constituencies. The results are expected to reflect the current political landscape and public sentiment towards the governing and opposition parties.