Nearly 7 million cast ballots on first day of early voting

Politics

Published: 05 Apr. 2024, 19:08 Updated: 05 Apr. 2024, 19:50

Nearly 7 million cast ballots on first day of early voting

A soldier from the Korean Navy casts his ballot in the general election at a polling station in Busan on Friday. [SONG BONG-GEUN]

More than 6.9 million voters cast their ballots on Friday, the first day of early voting for the April 10 general election.

The nationwide turnout was 15.61 percent when polls closed at 6 p.m., marking the highest turnout for early voting since the system was introduced for general elections.

A total of 6,910,510 eligible voters took part in early voting on Friday according to the National Election Commission.

A total of 44,280,011 people are eligible to vote in the election, which will determine the composition of 300 seats in the 22nd National Assembly. The two-day early voting period started Friday at 6 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Early voters wait in a long queue in front of a polling station at a community center in Yeoksam-dong in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Friday afternoon. [YONHAP]

Seoul, the country’s capital, saw an early voting turnout of 15.83 percent, slightly above than the nationwide average. Some 1,315,890 Seoulites out of the capital’s 8,310,021 eligible voters cast their votes as of 6 p.m.

Among the provinces, South Jeolla exhibited the highest voter turnout at 23.67 percent, according to the National Election Commission. Of the province’s 1,565,232 eligible voters, 370,442 cast their votes on Friday.

North Jeolla was the runner-up with an early voting turnout of 21.36 percent, followed by Gwangju at 19.96 percent.

The southeastern coastal area including Busan, which is a major election background, recorded a voter turnout lower than the nationwide average.

Early voting turnout in South Gyeongsang was 15.27 percent, while Busan and Ulsan had turnouts of 14.83 percent and 14.80 percent, respectively.

Daegu recorded the lowest early voting turnout on Friday with 12.26 percent. Of the inland city’s 2,051,656 eligible voters, only 251,503 had cast their ballots as of 6 p.m. Friday.

President Yoon Suk Yeol drops his vote into the ballot box at a polling station at a welfare center in Gangseo District, Busan on Friday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Several political heavyweights were seen casting ballots on the first day of the early voting, including President Yoon Suk Yeol and Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung.

Yoon voted at a polling station at a welfare center in Busan’s Gangseo District around 11 a.m. during his visit to the port city, according to the presidential office.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min and Culture Minister Yu In-chon also voted early on Friday.

The leaders of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), liberal DP, Rebuilding Korea Party, Saemirae Party and Reform Party all cast their votes Friday.

PPP interim leader Han Dong-hoon cast his ballot at a polling station inside the Sinchon-dong community center in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, at 9 a.m. on the same day.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung casts his ballot at a polling station in Daejeon on Friday, the first day of early voting for the April 10 general election. [NEWS1]

DP leader Lee voted in Daejeon at a polling station before heading to campaign events to support DP candidates running for the city’s constituencies

Former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong, who is running against Lee as the PPP’s candidate in Incheon’s Gyeyang-B electoral district, cast his ballot in Incheon on Friday.

Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party, walks out of a polling booth in Busan on Friday. [NEWS1]

Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk, who served briefly as justice minster during the previous Moon Jae-in administration, also voted early in Busan.

Former PPP leader Lee Jun-seok, who is now head of the Reform Party and running as a candidate in Gyeonggi’s Hwaseong-B electoral district, also voted on Friday.

Saemirae Party leader Lee Nak-yon, who previously served as DP chairman and prime minister under Moon, also voted early on Friday.

Head of local governments also cast their ballots on Friday.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon votes at a polling station in central Seoul on Friday. [YONHAP]

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is one of the PPP’s most prominent politicians, voted at a polling site in central Seoul, while Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon of the DP also voted early in Seongnam’s Bundang District.

After casting his vallot, Oh encouraged eligible voters to cast their ballots, remarking that voting in the general election “determines the next four years of the future for voters’ and their families.”

Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife also voted at a polling station in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, on Friday morning.

Ko Min-jung, who previously served as a Moon administration spokesperson and is running as the DP’s candidate in Seoul’s Gwangjin-B constituency, also cast her ballot at a polling station in the district.

Hundreds of eligible voters partake in early voting for the April 10 general election at a polling station located inside Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport on Friday. [YONHAP]

Eligible voters can cast their ballots at any polling station across the country regardless of their place of residence

A government-issued ID card or certification — social security card, passport or driver’s license — must be presented before voters can receive their ballots.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]