Story perspectives

South Korea Local Elections: Record Early Voting, Democrats Lead 45%

6/3/2026

Summary

South Korea Elections

South Korea held local elections on June 3, 2026 to choose mayors, governors and councilors.
About 44.6 million voters could cast ballots at 14,300 stations between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., with early voting at a record 23.5 percent.
May polls showed the Democratic Party at 45 percent support versus 22 percent for the People Power Party.
Fourteen parliamentary by-elections ran concurrently, including Cho Kuk and Han Dong-hoon, with exit polls at 6:00 p.m. (0900 GMT) and results due early June 4.

Summary

Lee Boosts AI

President Lee pledged up to 100 trillion won ($72 billion) for AI, with the state allocating more than 16 trillion won for projects, including computing centres.
Voting combines first-past-the-post for mayoral, gubernatorial and by-election races with proportional-representation seats on councils.
Early voting opened on May 29, a 2014-introduced practice that draws younger voters before the June 3 election.
Observers suggest Prime Minister Kim Min-seok could assume a role in the Democratic Party after the polls.

Summary

Lee Urges Voting

President Lee Jae-myung posted on X on May 31 2026 urging citizens to vote and citing Plato’s warning about apathy.
He warned that silence gives opportunities to those who deceive people and abuse power for private interests.
He said abandoning the vote is the same as abandoning the future of oneself and one’s family.
President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung voted at Samcheong-dong Community Center on May 29 2026, the early-voting start.

History

Historical Context

In June 1995 South Korea held its first modern local elections, the first since the 1961 May 16 coup, under President Kim Young-sam. The elections inaugurated a four-year cycle—1995, 1998, 2002, 2006, etc.—and the third poll on 13 June 2002 introduced optical-scanner counting. The National Election Commission continues to oversee these regular votes, cementing South Korea’s democratic routine.

1 of 4

South Korea Elections

South Korea held local elections on June 3, 2026 to choose mayors, governors and councilors.
About 44.6 million voters could cast ballots at 14,300 stations between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., with early voting at a record 23.5 percent.
May polls showed the Democratic Party at 45 percent support versus 22 percent for the People Power Party.
Fourteen parliamentary by-elections ran concurrently, including Cho Kuk and Han Dong-hoon, with exit polls at 6:00 p.m. (0900 GMT) and results due early June 4.

1 / 4