The Korean presidential election will take place on June 3. As of May 30 local time, early voting, which lasted two days, concluded with a final turnout of 34.74%, marking the second highest in history. As the campaign intensified, candidates employed various strategies to secure votes, including experiences in esports and public pull-ups, sparking online discussions and appealing to younger voters, even resorting to "superstitious vote-getting."
According to reports from CCTV, on May 30, the Korean Central Election Management Commission announced that the early voting turnout for the 21st presidential election was 34.74%, with 15.42 million voters participating. This turnout is 2.19 percentage points lower than the record-high early voting turnout of the last presidential election. Official voting will occur on June 3.
Early voting began at 6 am on May 29 and consistently broke records for the same period until the afternoon of May 30, when the turnout began to decline, trailing behind the previous election's early voting numbers.
Analysts suggest that high voter enthusiasm is largely due to the intense focus on this election. Political commentators remarked that for many voters, this election is seen as a "trial election" against impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. Given the previous criticisms from the People Power Party regarding early voting, the high turnout is more favorable for the Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung.
Second-Highest Early Voting Turnout in History
The Korean presidential election has entered its final sprint. According to the last poll before early voting, opposition Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung leads with 49.2% support, followed by People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo at 36.8% and Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok at 10.3%, creating a competitive three-way race. The political landscape in Korea has traditionally been a battle between conservatives and progressives; however, subtle changes in voter bases have emerged in recent years. For example, in the 2022 election, conservative candidate Yoon Suk-yeol garnered significant support from young voters, while Lee Jae-myung lagged by just 0.8% due to the unpopularity of then-President Moon Jae-in.
To attract young voters, 61-year-old Lee Jae-myung visited an esports arena in Gwangju on May 17 to experience an esports competition. Wearing the Korean esports team uniform for the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, he referred to himself as "rookie player Lee Jae-myung" and participated in a League of Legends match, personally controlling a character. With a strong esports industry in Korea, where gamers comprise over half the population, esports enjoys widespread support. Analysts noted that Lee's choice to campaign at the esports venue represents a "political strike" aimed at younger voters.
On May 28, Kim Moon-soo visited Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, to pay respects to his ancestors "seeking blessings." Dressed in a traditional red Korean ceremonial outfit, he bowed at the tomb of King Suro, the common ancestor of the Kim family from Gimhae and the Lee family from Incheon. As a descendant of Gyeongsangbuk-do, this gesture was seen as a display of loyalty to both ancestors and the public, as Gyeongsangbuk-do is a stronghold for conservatives.
On the same day, 73-year-old Kim Moon-soo performed pull-ups in Daegu at a rally in the rain, surprising onlookers and sparking excitement on social media. His engaging approach to interacting with young voters has drawn comparisons to a "Korean grandpa's comeback reality show," with comments noting his potential as a fitness influencer.
Severe Social Divisions in Korea
As the official voting day approaches, protests and gatherings in Korea have surged again this weekend. A Chinese resident in Korea for 19 years, who goes by the pseudonym Zhu Zhu, expressed deep sentiments after witnessing the transition of five administrations from Roh Moo-hyun to Yoon Suk-yeol. He observed that voters' political leanings this election are similar to the last, but with the addition of Lee Jun-seok, gaining support from many men in their 20s. Meanwhile, the majority of voters in their 30s to 50s support Lee Jae-myung, while older voters continue to favor Kim Moon-soo. He noted that young people seek change due to their lack of opportunities, leading to a more progressive stance.
Furthermore, since Yoon Suk-yeol's administration, inflation in Korea has surged, housing prices in the capital region remain high, and reluctance to spend has contributed to economic stagnation, prompting the public to hope for effective policies from the next president to navigate these challenges.
Yuna, a voter from Gyeonggi-do, completed her early voting on May 29. She shared with reporters that this is the first election since Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment, noting the unique atmosphere as many people closely follow and actively participate in early voting. She emphasized that many voters are eager for their voices to be heard. Yuna also mentioned the increasing internal conflicts and divisions among young people due to economic frustrations, dissatisfaction with current policies, and the influence of conservative groups, leading to a rise in extreme right sentiments. She warned that the strong ideological divides among the Korean public present a significant challenge for the new president.
(Source: CCTV News, Ta Kung Pao; English Editor: Liu Yu)
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