Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Koreans abroad cast ballots as presidential race heats up
The entrance to the Consulate General of Korea in Manhattan, New York, where an overseas polling station has been set up, Tuesday (local time). Yonhap
By Anna J. Park
Overseas voting open through Sunday
As Korea gears up for its presidential election set for June 3, overseas voting officially began Tuesday with polling stations opening across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.
The overseas voting period will run for six days, concluding Sunday.
The global turnout serves as a barometer of the national mood, highlighting the deep divisions the upcoming election will either bridge or exacerbate, as Korea seeks to stabilize its political landscape and reassert its international standing following recent turbulence.
A total of 223 polling stations have been established in 118 countries to accommodate eligible voters residing or temporarily staying abroad.
Notably, overseas polling stations have been set up for the first time in four countries — Cuba, Luxembourg, Lithuania and Estonia — following the recent establishment of Korean diplomatic missions there. In addition to these new locations, 39 more polling stations have been added at diplomatic missions where over 30,000 Korean nationals reside.
Special voting arrangements have also been made for military units deployed overseas, including Korea's Dongmyeong Unit in Lebanon and the Hanbit Unit in Uganda.
Voters are seen at an overseas polling station set up at the Korean Embassy in London, Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the U.K.
According to the National Election Commission (NEC), the number of registered overseas voters for this election has risen to 258,254, which is up 14.2 percent from the previous presidential race.
In the presidential election held in early 2022, the race was decided by a razor-thin margin of around 240,000 votes, or just 0.73 percentage points. Given this precedent, overseas ballots could play a decisive role in determining the election's outcome.
Looking at the results of past presidential elections, overseas voters have generally favored candidates from the liberal-leaning Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). In the 2012 presidential election, when overseas voting was first introduced, Moon Jae-in, a candidate for the DPK's predecessor party, received 56.7 percent of overseas votes, surpassing Park Geun-hye of the Saenuri Party, who received 42.8 percent.
In the following presidential election in 2017, Moon also garnered a majority of the overseas vote with 59.2 percent. Similarly, in the most recent presidential election, Lee Jae-myung of the DPK won the overseas vote with 59.8 percent, ahead of Yoon Suk Yeol of the People Power Party, who received 36.2 percent.
Voters go through identification and other voting procedures at the overseas polling station set up at the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles, Tuesday (local time). Yonhap
The first country to open overseas voting for Korea’s 21st presidential election was New Zealand. Voting then rolled out across other continents in succession, following their respective time zones.
By region, Asia accounts for the largest share of overseas voters, with 128,932 people (49.9 percent), followed by the Americas with 75,607 (29.3 percent), and Europe with 43,906 (17 percent).
The NEC emphasized that the voting period at each diplomatic mission may vary from one to six days depending on local circumstances, and urged voters to check the specific schedule on their local consulate’s website.
Voters participating in overseas voting must bring valid photo identification, such as a passport or resident registration card, to verify their identity.
Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik casts his ballot at the overseas polling station set up inside the Embassy of Korea in Rome, Tuesday (local time). Yonhap
Meanwhile, Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, who's also serving as Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy at the Vatican, also cast his ballot in Italy on Tuesday (local time). He visited the polling station at the Korean Embassy in Rome, where he voted and offered words of encouragement to the election officials.
“Although we find ourselves casting presidential votes again due to the many challenges our country has faced, I sincerely hope this election will mark a turning point for Korea — transforming it into a truly respected nation on the global stage, one that is beautiful and where people live in harmony,” Cardinal You said.
“I hope this election leads to the establishment of a new order and guides our country toward greater unity and balance," he continued, adding that "With inter-Korean relations also facing difficulties, I pray this moment becomes a pivotal step toward finding a new path forward.”
Cardinal You was among the most outspoken religious leaders during the constitutional impeachment trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In a video message released on March 22, he expressed concern over delays in the Constitutional Court’s ruling, urging the court to uphold the justice outlined in the Constitution.
"If we truly listen to the voice of justice and conscience deep within us, there is no reason to delay any further," he said. "I ask that the court deliver a ruling that embodies the justice enshrined in our Constitution and clearly hold accountable those responsible for wrongful decisions and actions.