South Korea Votes in Local Elections Testing Lee's First Year
Polling stations swung open at 6 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Tuesday), media reported, citing the National Election Commission. Voting is set to conclude at 6 p.m. (0900 GMT), marking the ninth round of nationwide local polls held since autonomous governance was restored to local administrative units in 1995 — with elected officials serving four-year terms.
The scale of the vote is striking: 44.6 million citizens are eligible to participate, with more than 14,000 polling stations operating across the country. Notably, over 10 million voters had already cast early ballots before Saturday's pre-election cutoff — a reflection of record-level civic engagement. Early voting turnout reached 34.74%, the second-highest figure recorded since the system's introduction in 2014.
In total, 4,227 positions are up for grabs, encompassing 16 metropolitan and provincial governors, 227 mayors and county chiefs, 804 metropolitan council members, 2,650 local council representatives, 16 education superintendents, and 14 parliamentary seats contested through by-elections. The National Election Commission confirmed that 7,813 candidates are competing nationwide.
Local and parliamentary elections are deliberately staggered two years apart to prevent the simultaneous convergence of two major national democratic events.
Eligibility extends beyond citizens: non-Korean nationals registered in a local constituency and holding a resident visa for a minimum of three years are permitted to vote in local races — though they remain excluded from presidential and parliamentary contests.
Exit polls will be published the moment voting closes Wednesday evening, with comprehensive final results anticipated overnight and confirmed outcomes expected in the early hours of Thursday.
Analysts regard the elections as a pivotal barometer for Lee's administration, which took office in June last year and now faces its first direct verdict from a nationwide electorate.
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