Early voting hits new high as general election gets under way

The two-day early voting period for the April 10 general election started Friday. The voter turnout was 12.60 percent as of 4 p.m. on Friday, marking the highest early voter turnout at this time since the advance voting system was implemented.

Eligible voters line up to participate in early voting for the April 10 general election on Friday at a polling station inside Daejeon City Hall in Daejeon. The 2024 general election will determine the members of Korea's 22nd National Assembly. [NEWS1]

The two-day early voting period for the April 10 general election started Friday at 6 a.m.

The voter turnout was 12.60 percent as of 4 p.m. on Friday, marking the highest early voter turnout at this time since the advance voting system was implemented.

A total of 5,578,006 voters have already cast their ballots to decide on 300 seats in the National Assembly, according to the National Election Commission. In this election, the country has a total of 44,280,011 eligible voters. Seoul, the country’s capital, saw an early voting turnout of 12.58 percent, slightly lower than the nationwide average. Some 1,045,479 voters have cast their ballots out of its 8,310,021 eligible voters as of 4 p.m. Friday.

By province, South Jeolla has the highest voter turnout, reaching 19.85 percent with 310,627 who participated in the early voting out of its 1,565,232 eligible voters. It is followed by North Jeolla with 17.63 percent and Gwangju with 16.10 percent.

Daegu has the lowest early voting turnout at 9.86 percent. Of its 2,051,656 eligible voters, only 202,358 cast their ballots as of 4 p.m. Friday.

The interim leader of the conservative People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, cast his ballot on Friday at a polling station located at a community center in Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun District, western Seoul. [NEWS1]

Leaders of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) and the liberal Democratic Party (DP) and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo will vote on Friday.

The PPP’s interim leader, Han Dong-hoon, cast his ballot at a polling station in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, at 9 a.m. on the same day. Yun Jae-ok, the party's floor leader, will cast his ballot in Suwon, Gyeonggi.

The DP leader, Lee Jae-myung, is set to visit an early voting polling station in Daejeon on Friday. However, whether he will vote or not has not yet been decided.

Early voting will run through Saturday at 3,565 polling stations nationwide. Polling stations will be open to voters from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days.

Eligible voters can cast their ballots at any polling station across the country regardless of residential area.

A government-issued ID card or certification — social security card, passport or driver’s license — is mandatory to participate in early voting.

Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife cast their ballots at a polling station in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, on Friday morning. [NEWS1]

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]