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Unusual spaces host polls in Korea’s presidential election — in pictures

Published: 03 Jun. 2025, 11:08 Updated: 03 Jun. 2025, 14:23

TREVOR TREHARNE
[email protected]

Everyday spaces across Korea are being used as polling stations for the presidential election on June 3, 2025. [NEWS1, YONHAP]

Several unusual polling stations have garnered public attention as the main voting for the 21st presidential election kicked off at 6 a.m. Tuesday at 14,295 polling stations nationwide.

Polling stations are typically set up in public institutions such as schools or community centers, according to the Public Official Election Act. However, when such venues are unavailable, local governments, election commissions and private entities can collaborate to establish polling stations in general-use facilities.

In this election, polling stations were set up in a diverse array of venues including a car dealership, comic cafe, ssireum (traditional wrestling) arena and library.

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside the indoor training facility of the baseball team at Cheonggu Elementary School in Jung District, central Seoul, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [NEWS1]

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside the hairdressing practice room of the Seoul Jeonghwa High School in Dongdaemun, eastern Seoul, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [YONHAP]

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside the Shindae Gateball Court in Sejong on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. Gateball is a mallet sport derived from aspects of croquet. [YONHAP]

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside the Wrestling No.1 Multi-Gym in Namcheon-dong, Suyeong District, Busan, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [YONHAP]

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside an indoor ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling) arena at Seongnam Sports Complex in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [YONHAP]

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside a car dealership in Incheon on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [YONHAP]

Voters arrive to cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside the comic book cafe Seungnyong's Place on Kang Full Comic Street in Gangdong, eastern Seoul, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [NEWS1]

Voters cast their ballots on the morning of June 3 at a polling station set up in the underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Gwangju, as voting began for the 21st presidential election. [NEWS1]

A voter casts a ballot at a polling station set up inside the Dadok Dadok book cafe library at Gobundari Market in Gangdong, eastern Seoul, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [NEWS1]

People line up outside a barbecue restaurant in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi, which is being used as a polling station on the morning of June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [NEWS1]

A polling station set up at the driver’s license test center in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, bustles with voters and vehicles on the morning of June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [YONHAP]

Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside the side annex of Godeokil Hospital in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [YONHAP]

A voter casts a ballot at a polling station set up inside a restaurant in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi, on the morning of June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [NEWS1]

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside a restaurant in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi, on the morning of June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. The restaurant’s wooden tables and built-in grills have been cleared to make space for the voting booths. [NEWS1]

A voter heads into a polling station set up at Geumsang Daycare Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [NEWS1]

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at a polling station set up inside the Kia Motors Daegongwon dealership in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on June 3, the day of the 21st presidential election. [NEWS1]

Voters cast their ballots at Namgajwa 2-dong No. 2 polling station located inside the Lumar Vertex window tinting shop in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on June 3. [YONHAP]

Voters cast their ballots at Neung-dong No. 3 polling station set up at the Kia Motors Daegongwon dealership in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on June 3. [NEWS1]

Voters cast their ballots at Namcheon 2-dong No. 3 polling station located inside Wrestling No. 1 Multi-Gym in Suyeong District, Busan, on June 3. [YONHAP]

Voters cast their ballots at Seongnam-dong No. 2 polling station set up inside the ssireum (traditional wrestling) arena at Seongnam Sports Complex in Jungwon District, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on June 3, election day for Korea’s 21st presidential election. [YONHAP]

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY TREVOR TREHARNE, KIM HYUN-DONG [[email protected]]