South Koreans turn out in record numbers for early voting as presidential hopefuls vow change

By Joyce Lee

South Koreans turned out in record numbers for early voting on Thursday ahead of next week's snap presidential election, official data showed, as both leading candidates urged voters to back them to change a country in crisis.

The June 3 election comes after months of political turmoil and a power vacuum following the ouster of former leader Yoon Suk Yeol over a botched attempt 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 alongside young voters in a university district.

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 address any reverse discrimination.

About 8.7 million people, or 19.6% of total eligible voters, had voted as of 6 p.m. (0900 GMT), according to National Election Commission data, the highest turnout for the equivalent period in a presidential poll and compared with 17.6% in the 2022 vote.

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

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

Kim and Lee Jun-seok also voted on Thursday.

"Without voting, there is no hope for the country," Kim said after voting in Democratic Party frontrunner Lee's constituency.

"If you vote for (Lee), there will be no freedom for the country," he said, warning his main opponent would abuse his party's parliamentary majority.

Kim had narrowed a gap of more than 20 percentage points 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.