South Korean local elections: 7.4% turnout by 9 a.m., up from previous polls

South Korea's 9th National Simultaneous Local Elections saw a voter turnout of 7.4% by 9 a.m. on June 3. A total of 3.32 million voters had cast their ballots among the 44.65 million eligible electorate.

This figure represents a 1.4 percentage point increase compared to the same period during the 8th Local Elections in 2022. For context, the 22nd Presidential Election in 2022 recorded a 9.2% turnout by this time, while the 22nd National Assembly Election in 2024 had a 6.9% turnout at the same hour.

The highest voter participation was observed in the regions of Daegu and Gangwon, both at 9.2%. Gyeongbuk followed with 9.0%, and Gyeongnam with 8.5%. In contrast, Gwangju reported the lowest turnout at 4.8%. Seoul's turnout was 6.9%, and Busan's was 7.3%.

Polling stations are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on election day.