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Overseas Koreans registered to vote rises 14% ahead of June presidential election

Published: 06 May. 2025, 09:59

Participants practice operating ballot paper issuers during a training session for overseas election officials for the 21st presidential election at the National Election Commission's Election Training Institute in Gwonseon District, Suwon, Gyeonggi, on May 1. [YONHAP]

A total of 258,254 overseas Koreans are eligible to vote in the upcoming 21st presidential election, according to the National Election Commission (NEC) on Monday. The figure includes 229,531 overseas absentees and 28,723 registered overseas voters.

This marks a 14.2 percent increase from the 226,162 overseas voters who registered for the 20th presidential election in 2022.

By region, Asia accounts for the largest portion of overseas voters at 128,932, or 49.9 percent of the total. North and South America follow with 75,607 voters, or 29.3 percent, while Europe accounts for 43,906, amounting to 17 percent.

Among overseas missions, the Korean embassy in Japan reported the largest number of registered voters at 18,412. The Korean consulate general in Los Angeles followed with 10,341 and the Shanghai consulate with 8,892.

The United States leads in country-by-country registration, with 51,885 voters. Japan and China follow with 38,600 and 25,154 voters, respectively.

Overseas voting will take place from May 20 to 25 (local time), with ballots cast from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 182 diplomatic missions worldwide. The NEC may adjust voting hours in cases of natural disasters, war or other unavoidable circumstances, taking into account the estimated number of voters.

Online voting is unavailable. Voters must visit in person at designated missions.

Overseas voters who are listed on the overseas electoral roll but return to Korea without casting their ballots abroad may still vote on Election Day, June 3. To do so, they must report to the district election commission with jurisdiction over their Korean address or their most recent registered place of family registration between May 26 and June 3.

Ballots cast overseas will be returned to Korea via diplomatic pouch. The NEC will send them by registered mail to the appropriate local election commissions in the presence of observers recommended by negotiating parties in the National Assembly. Vote counting will begin after voting finishes in Korea and will be counted together with domestic votes.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE JI-YOUNG [[email protected]]