Parties eye young swing voters in last-minute campaigning

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, center, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leaves a polling station in Daejeon, Friday, alongside students from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) after participating in early voting for the April 10 general elections. Joint Press Corps

By Lee Hyo-jin

• Published Apr 5, 2024 5:04 PM KST
• Updated Apr 6, 2024 9:36 AM KST

As the April 10 general election day looms just around the corner, political parties are engaging in a last-minute sprint to woo voters, with a particular focus on young people who are anticipated to play a decisive role in the outcome.

Both the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) appealed to young voters on the first day of the two-day early voting period, which kicked off on Friday.

The PPP's interim leader Han Dong-hoon cast his ballot at a polling station in Sinchon, Seodaemun District in Seoul, a big college town where major universities are located. DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung voted in Daejeon, alongside students from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).

The political inclination of young Koreans in their 20s and 30s, once categorized as progressives, has become unpredictable in recent years. Frustrated by the lack of representation of diverse voices in politics and a deepening distrust following empty promises made by politicians, many have not yet decided whom to vote for in the upcoming elections — or whether to head to the polls at all.

A 31-year-old programmer surnamed Choi, who lives in Seoul's Seodaemun District, expressed discontent with the fading presence of minor parties in the election landscape, which is largely dominated by the two major parties.

"I will cast my ballot during the early voting period, but I haven't decided who to vote for. There isn't anyone I particularly want to support ... I don't like how the two biggest parties are getting the majority of the votes, so I'm thinking of supporting an alternative one," he told The Korea Times.

A college student surnamed Lee, 25, said that campaign mudslinging is diminishing her interest in the elections.

"I guess l will vote next Wednesday, but I haven't decided whom to vote for," she said, adding that the candidates' campaign trails have made her more skeptical about the election.

Lee said, "In every election cycle, politicians who seemingly haven't made any improvements to our district over the past four years suddenly show up at subway stations or on the streets during the campaign period, seeking votes. Without presenting pledges to improve our lives, their tactic for garnering support is accusing the opposition camp."

Choi and Lee represent a growing number of young voters who have yet to make up their minds on who to vote for.

According to a survey conducted by Metrics announced on Wednesday, 40 percent of 1,000 respondents aged 18 and 29, and 33 percent of those in their 30s said they had not yet decided on which candidate to vote for.

This suggests that a significant portion of eligible voters in their 20s and 30s, who comprise one third of the total 42.75 million electorate, could wield considerable influence on the election outcome.

However, it remains uncertain how many of these young voters will turn out at the polls on election day. Many of them may opt to stay home, as they do not appear to be interested in the upcoming elections.

According to a survey conducted by Gallup Korea in March, 56.8 percent of 1,500 respondents aged 18 to 29 expressed interest in the upcoming general elections. This represents the lowest level of interest among all age groups, whereas over 90 percent of older age groups showed interest in the elections.

Kim Che-jin, a 25-year-old student at Ewha Womans University, who voted for the DPK in the previous parliamentary elections in 2020, said it is difficult to choose a particular candidate in her constituency this time because their pledges sound similar.

"Politicians are simply busy attacking their rivals without proposing sincere pledges and measures to actually improve people's lives," Kim said, criticizing their lack of focus on real-life issues such as housing and the increase in violence against women.

A 33-year-old freelancer surnamed Cho living in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, said he will skip the upcoming elections, lamenting that his previous support for politicians resulted in disappointing outcomes.

He voted for the DPK in the 2020 general elections, during which the liberal party clinched a landslide victory, and voted for then-conservative candidate Yoon Suk Yeol in the 2022 presidential election, where he won by a close margin.

"Both the DPK and the Yoon government have been doing a terrible job. I regret supporting them. I guess politicians will always be that way. Once they win the elections, they forget the promises they made to the public," he said.

The aforementioned survey conducted by Metrics on March 30 and 31 was commissioned by Yonhap News Agency and Yonhap News TV. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, with a credibility rate of 95 percent. The survey conducted by Gallup Korea was commissioned by the National Election Commission and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, with a credibility rate of 95 percent. Further details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission’s website.