South Koreans Cast Record 19.58% Early Votes in Presidential Election

South Korea has seen a record high turnout in early voting for its upcoming snap presidential election, with 19.58% of registered voters casting ballots on the first day, marking the highest first-day turnout since early voting was introduced in 2014. The election follows political turmoil after former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law. Front-runner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, who leads the polls with around 49% support, voted in Seoul and emphasized voting as a way to overcome the crisis and promote recovery. His conservative main rival, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, who has narrowed the polling gap to about 14 percentage points, also voted and urged citizens to participate to bring hope to the country. Early voting is ongoing nationwide with strong regional variations, and the final election is set for June 3. Both candidates have pledged significant policy plans, such as Lee's proposal to establish a Ministry of Climate and Energy and reforms to gender equality policies.