South Koreans turn out in record numbers for early voting in presidential election

A woman casts her early vote for the upcoming presidential election at a polling station in Seoul. (Courtesy: Reuters photo)

South Koreans began turning out in record numbers for early voting on Thursday in the country's snap presidential polls set to take place next week, election commission data showed, as both of the leading candidates cast their ballots.

The June 3 election comes after months of political turmoil and a power vacuum following the botched attempt by former leader Yoon Suk Yeol to impose martial law.

The liberal Democratic Party's candidate Lee Jae-myung, the frontrunner in the polls before a blackout period banning opinion polls began on Wednesday, cast his ballot in Seoul.

"In order to overcome the current crisis... and start again as a Korea of recovery and growth, please vote," Lee said after casting his ballot at a university district in the city.

His comment came after the Bank of Korea cut interest rates on Thursday and slashed its 2025 growth forecast for Asia's fourth-largest economy to 0.8% from 1.5% previously.

On Wednesday, Lee pledged to establish a new Ministry of Climate and Energy to "respond to the climate crisis", and expand and reorganise the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to promote equal rights and deal with any reverse discrimination.

Some 3,107,164 people, or 7.00% of total eligible voters, had voted as of around 11 a.m. (0200 GMT), according to National Election Commission data, the highest turnout for the equivalent period in a presidential poll and compared with 5.38% in the 2022 vote.

South Korea has 44.39 million eligible voters and early voting is allowed on Thursday and Friday.

The top three candidates based on the last published Gallup Korea poll before the blackout period put Lee at 49% public support, followed by his main conservative rival Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party with 35% and another conservative candidate, the New Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok, on 11%.

Kim and Lee Jun-seok also voted on Thursday.

Kim had eroded what was a more than 20 percentage point gap with Lee Jae-myung at the start of the campaign on May 12, but has failed to convince Lee Jun-seok to drop out and back him to improve his chances.