Parties spar over meaning of unusually high early turnout

NEC mobilizes full enforcement staff ahead of election day

An official monitors a display board showing nationwide voting rates at the National Election Commission's integrated election operations center in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday, two days before the June 3 local elections. [Lee Sang-sub]
An official monitors a display board showing nationwide voting rates at the National Election Commission's integrated election operations center in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday, two days before the June 3 local elections. [Lee Sang-sub]

The ruling and opposition parties are offering sharply different interpretations of the record-high 23.51 percent early voting turnout in the June 3 local elections.

The Democratic Party of Korea called the figure a reflection of public will to "deliver a verdict on the insurrection and support the Lee Jae Myung government," while the People Power Party said it represented "the public's stern warning to stop the tyranny and one-party dominance of the Lee Jae Myung administration."

According to the National Election Commission on Monday, the early voting turnout of 23.51 percent — recorded over May 29 and May 30 — surpassed the previous local election record of 20.62 percent set during the eighth local elections in 2022, making it the highest early voting rate in local election history. The final early voting turnout for the National Assembly by-elections held alongside the June 3 local elections also reached 24.12 percent.

Kang Jun-hyeon, the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson, said voting is "the lifeblood of democracy" and that the belief that "voting doesn't make a difference" is a misconception. He said the record early turnout "reflects the public's desire for political judgment against the insurrection forces and support for the Lee Jae Myung government."

Choi Bo-yun, head of the People Power Party's central campaign committee communications team, offered a contrasting view. She said the record early turnout was "the public's stern order and voice demanding that the tyranny of the Lee Jae Myung administration and the one-party dominance of the ruling party be stopped and kept in check."

Jang Dong-hyeok, standing co-chair of the party's campaign committee, was asked by reporters how he assessed the implications of the early voting rate for each party. He said it would be difficult at this stage to determine which party benefits simply because turnout was higher than in the previous local elections. He added that he hoped high turnout on election day would translate into votes from "citizens angered by the arrogance of Lee Jae Myung and the Democratic Party."

The NEC said it had "mobilized all enforcement personnel, including regional investigation teams and fair election support units, to focus on prevention and enforcement activities as election day approaches," and had notified parties and candidates of regulations governing post-election expressions of gratitude.

As of May 31, the total number of election law violations related to the local elections reached 1,482 — comprising 270 criminal complaints, 73 investigation referrals, and 1,139 warnings and other measures — a 14.88 percent increase from the 1,290 cases recorded at the same point before the previous local elections.

Serious election crimes — including vote-buying, illegal donations, civil servant involvement in electioneering, and the spread of false information and defamation — have still not declined. The NEC said it took strict action, including filing criminal complaints, against numerous violations such as candidate vote-buying that occurred across the country during this election cycle.

Meanwhile, the NEC notified parties and candidates that after election day they are prohibited from providing money or entertainment to constituents as congratulatory or consolatory gestures, holding victory or concession gatherings for constituents, marching or chanting in groups on public streets, and posting banners.

An NEC official said the commission plans to "respond strictly with a zero-tolerance policy" to illegal acts ahead of election day, including disruptive behavior at polling and counting stations or NEC offices, and assault or intimidation of NEC commissioners and staff.


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