Nation heads to polls to select local gov't chiefs, councilors

Voters wait in line before polls open at a polling station set up at Dongpyeong Middle School in Ulsan's Nam District, Wednesday, Election Day for Korea's local elections and National Assembly by-elections. Yonhap

Koreans will head to polling stations to select their local government chiefs and council members as voting for the ninth local elections begins Wednesday.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 14,288 locations nationwide.

Voters will elect 16 metropolitan city mayors and provincial governors, 227 local government heads, 3,973 local council members and 16 education superintendents.

By-elections for 14 National Assembly seats will also be held alongside the local polls.

Vote counting will begin immediately after polls close.

Record early voting turnout has raised expectations for higher overall participation. According to the National Election Commission, 10.49 million voters already cast ballots during the two-day early voting period held Friday and Saturday, resulting in a turnout of 23.51 percent. The figure surpassed the 2022 local elections' early voting turnout rate of 20.62 percent.

The highest voter turnout in local elections was 68.4 percent, in the inaugural elections held in 1995, while the lowest was 48.9 percent in 2002. The most recent local elections in 2022 recorded a turnout of 50.9 percent.

Political observers are now watching whether the strong numbers in early voting will translate to a higher overall turnout.

Campaign workers cheer during a rally for Democratic Party of Korea Seoul mayoral candidate Chong Won-o near Yeouido Post Office in Seoul, Tuesday, one day before the local elections. Yonhap

With the campaign period ending Tuesday, both major parties spent the final day focusing on closely contested regions, which are expected to determine the overall outcome.

Jung Chung-rae, leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), urged voters to go to the polls, describing the elections as a way to support the Lee administration and move beyond the political turmoil surrounding former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration.

"Korea stands at a crossroads between moving toward a more vibrant future with the Lee administration and being held back by the legacy of Dec. 3 martial law," Jung said.

He also argued that the ruling party's stronger presence would help advance local development and secure greater support for regional projects.

Main opposition People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok urged supporters to cast their votes, saying that additional victories for the ruling camp would strengthen President Lee Jae Myung's influence over both the central and local governments.

"Many races remain too close to call, and a single vote could determine the outcome," he said.

Officials in the two major parties identified Seoul and the southeastern region encompassing Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province as the elections' key battlegrounds.

Among them, the Seoul mayoral race has emerged as the contest drawing the most attention.

Chong is challenging incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the PPP in a race both parties have treated as a top priority during the final days of campaigning.

Busan is also expected to be host of the close races of the election. DPK candidate Chun Jae-soo and PPP candidate Park Heong-joon, the incumbent mayor, spent the last few days of the campaign targeting undecided voters, while party leaders made repeated visits to the city as part of their closing campaign efforts.

Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province are likewise regarded as critical battlegrounds.

People Power Party Daegu mayoral candidate Choo Kyung-ho campaigns at Banyawol Market in Daegu's Dong District, Monday, two days before the nationwide local elections. Yonhap

Daegu, traditionally one of Korea’s most conservative strongholds, has also drawn attention. DPK candidate Kim Boo-kyum faces PPP candidate Choo Kyung-ho in a race the parties continue to treat as competitive.

Analysts generally see the DPK holding an advantage in many regions, but said that many of the most closely watched races remain highly competitive.

Political commentator Hong Jun-il said overall turnout could prove decisive, but added that conservative voter consolidation may ultimately determine the outcome in several closely contested races, particularly in the Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang region.

Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, said some PPP candidates have been outperforming their party's approval ratings in key battlegrounds.

“Some conservative voters may be dissatisfied with the PPP itself, but continue to support individual candidates as the campaign progresses,” Shin said.