South Koreans Cast Record Early Votes Ahead June 3 Election Amid Political Crisis

South Koreans turned out in record numbers for early voting ahead of the June 3 snap presidential election, with over 8.7 million voters casting ballots by evening, marking the highest early turnout in the nation's history. The election follows months of political turmoil and a power vacuum triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law. Leading candidate Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, who held a substantial lead in polls before the blackout period, urged voters to support his vision for recovery, including plans to establish a Ministry of Climate and Energy and reform the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Economic challenges loom large as the Bank of Korea recently cut interest rates and sharply lowered the country's 2025 growth forecast, increasing pressure on the next administration. Conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party and Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party also voted, with Kim trailing Lee in polls but unable to unify the conservative vote. The election is widely seen as a critical turning point amid South Korea's political instability and economic uncertainty.