9th nationwide local elections open Wednesday
Car dealership, galbi restaurant serve as polling stations
High school senior casts first-ever ballot: 'I was so nervous'
Post-surgery patient hails a taxi to cast her vote
"I pleaded with the hospital and took a taxi to come vote."
Voters flooded all 14,288 polling stations across the country Wednesday as main voting day for the 9th nationwide simultaneous local elections got underway. At some locations, lines had already formed before the doors opened. Among those who showed up were a hospitalized patient who came with a look of determination and a high school senior brimming with excitement to cast her first ballot.
At Polling Station No. 1 in Seogyeo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, a 65-year-old surnamed Kim stepped out of a taxi on crutches Wednesday morning, a hospital wristband visible on her arm. "I was recently hospitalized after leg surgery," she said. "Bending my leg is difficult, so I called a large taxi. There's a lot I'm unhappy about, and I felt I absolutely had to cast my vote."
First-time voters wore their excitement openly. Kim, a 19-year-old who arrived around 8:10 a.m. at Polling Station No. 2 in Madu 2-dong, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, said he was nervous but proud. "It was my first vote, so I was really nervous — but I've been bragging about it to friends who couldn't vote," he said. He added that he hoped the newly elected Gyeonggi Province superintendent of education would ease the college entrance burden on students.
Familiar neighborhood spaces took on a new role Wednesday. Around 8 a.m., Sangsangchowol Dwaeji Galbi restaurant in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province became Soha 2-dong Polling Station No. 4 for the day. The restaurant has served as a polling station for local voters for 10 years running. Its dining tables, normally the centerpiece of the space, were pushed to the corners to make room for ballot boxes and voting booths.
Kim Jin-tae, 63, a regular who said he usually comes for galbi and "somaek" — a mix of soju and beer — reflected on the transformation. "I used to sit here watching the news and arguing about politics," he said. "Today I'm here to vote."
Yun Geon-yeong, 46, said the restaurant is a fixture in his daily life. "It's right in front of my house, and they sell a 5,000-won set lunch on weekdays, so I come here all the time," he said. "It's always a little surreal to see the restaurant turn into a polling station every election."
A taekwondo studio where children play and train also took on a solemn air Wednesday, serving as Polling Station No. 5 in Hwagok 8-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Waterproof vinyl sheeting covered the floor to prevent scratches, and all the mirrors were draped over. The setup looked like any other polling station from the outside, but the padded mats underfoot gave every step a telltale bounce.
Kim, an 82-year-old voter at the studio, said she hoped the winner would address the neighborhood's image problem. "Hwagok-dong has a reputation as one of Seoul's more run-down areas," she said. "I hope whoever wins works to change that."
A Kia dealership in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, also joined the roster of unconventional polling stations. Its Simgok branch hosted Simgok Bon 1-dong Polling Station No. 2, with ballot boxes and voting booths installed where showroom vehicles normally stand. The exterior glass windows were covered entirely with white curtains.
Choe Chang-sun, 70, said she came out early with friends to vote for her preferred candidate without delay. "Price stability and economic recovery — making life easier for ordinary people — that's what matters most," she said.
Families also turned out together. Park Gyeong-sik, 75, and his wife arrived around 7 a.m. at Balsan Middle School, which housed Polling Stations No. 3 and 4 in Juyeop 1-dong, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang. The couple had been up since 4 a.m., attending an early morning church service and completing a park-cleaning shift before heading to the polls.
Lee Yeong-dal, 53, arrived around 7:30 a.m. with his wife and two daughters. "My daughters and I made a plan to vote together, so the whole family came out," he said. "Since we're already up early, we figured we'd take a walk and spend some time together as a family."
Voting for the 9th nationwide simultaneous local elections runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at 14,288 polling stations nationwide. Unlike early voting, residents must cast their ballots at their designated polling station. Voters can find their assigned location on the election notice mailed to their household or on the National Election Commission website.
20ki@heraldcorp.com
