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[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] As of 7 p.m. on June 3, South Korea’s nationwide voter turnout reached 77.8%, surpassing the final turnout of 77.1% recorded during the 2022 presidential election.



According to the National Election Commission, 34,536,249 out of 44,391,871 eligible voters had cast their ballots by 7 p.m.



This figure includes votes from early voting held on May 29 and 30 (which recorded a 34.74% turnout), as well as ballots cast by overseas voters, sailors, and homebound voters.



By region, Jeollanam-do recorded the highest turnout at 82.8%, while Jeju had the lowest at 73.4%. Seoul's turnout stood at 78.1%.



This election is a by-election for the presidency, and as such, the voting hours were extended by two hours compared to previous presidential elections, running from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.



With the extended hours, attention is now focused on whether the final turnout will exceed 80%. The last time a South Korean presidential election surpassed the 80% turnout threshold was in 1997, when the 15th election recorded an 80.7% turnout.



Unlike early voting, election-day voting requires eligible citizens to cast their ballots at designated polling stations based on their registered address. All citizens aged 18 and over who have not already voted can still do so by visiting their assigned polling stations with valid identification by 8 p.m. today.

 

 

 

 

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