Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung visited a neighborhood community center near Cheong Wa Dae to participate in early voting for the upcoming local elections. The couple cast their ballots at the Samcheong neighborhood community center for the June 3 elections in Incheon's Gyeyang-B district, where their personal residence is registered.

According to Yonhap News Agency, after entering the voting booth, President Lee momentarily stepped out to inquire with an election official about the validity of his ballot, as the stamp appeared only partially on the paper. Upon confirmation that it would be valid, he returned to the booth to complete his voting process.

The early voting period commenced earlier on Friday, allowing voters to participate in the local elections and parliamentary by-elections. A total of 16 mayoral and gubernatorial positions are up for grabs, alongside 227 local government chief positions and approximately 4,000 seats on local councils. Voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots at any of over 3,500 polling stations nationwide, open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

This election marks the first major electoral event for the Lee administration since it assumed office in June, and it is seen as a significant evaluation of its first year in power. The outcomes are anticipated to influence the administration's future policy direction and personnel decisions.