Seoul: South Korea has initiated a two-day early voting period for the upcoming June 3 local elections and parliamentary by-elections, which are seen as a critical evaluation of President Lee Jae Myung's first year in office. Eligible voters across the nation can cast their ballots at 3,571 polling stations, open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday, as organized by the National Election Commission (NEC).
According to Yonhap News Agency, the elections will determine the occupants of 16 mayoral and gubernatorial posts, 227 local government leadership positions, and approximately 4,000 local council seats. Additionally, 14 vacant Assembly seats will be filled through parliamentary by-elections, featuring candidates such as Han Dong-hoon, the former leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).
A recent NEC poll revealed that 73.6 percent of respondents are committed to voting, with 39.4 percent planning to participate in early voting. This election is the first significant nationwide electoral event for the Lee administration since it assumed power last June, following the ousting of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over a failed martial law bid.
Both the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the PPP are actively encouraging voter turnout. The DP is urging voters to deliver a decisive verdict on what it labels the "remnants" of Yoon's insurrectionist forces. However, recent polls suggest that election races are becoming more competitive across more regions than initially anticipated, challenging the DP's aspirations for a sweeping victory.
The ruling party aims to reinforce the Lee administration's agenda by maintaining its majority in the National Assembly, while the PPP seeks to regain strength within the conservative bloc amid ongoing internal conflicts post-martial law declaration. The capital area remains a crucial battleground, housing half of the nation's population.
In Seoul, the mayoral contest is a tight race between incumbent Oh Se-hoon of the PPP and Chong Won-o of the ruling party. A Hankook Research poll published on Monday indicates Chong leading with 42 percent over Oh's 36 percent.
Attention is also focused on the parliamentary by-election in Busan's Buk-A constituency, where former presidential secretary Ha Jung-woo is contesting against independent Han Dong-hoon and former PPP lawmaker Park Min-shik.