Turnout in Wednesday’s parliamentary elections stood at 64.1 percent one hour before the polls close, up 1.5 percentage points from the previous elections in 2020, the election watchdog said.
The National Election Commission (NEC) said some 28.38 million out of an eligible 44.28 million voters had cast their ballots as of 5 p.m.
The latest tally included part of the record 31.28 percent turnout for last week’s two-day early voting, as well as votes by overseas South Korean nationals and those aboard ships, the NEC said.
Voting is set to end at 6 p.m.
“There is a high possibility that the final turnout could be higher than four years earlier,” an NEC official said.
The turnout for the parliamentary elections in 2020 stood at 66.2 percent.
If the turnout exceeds the 2020 tally, it will mark the highest turnout in 32 years. The highest ever recorded was 71.9 percent in the 1992 general elections.
As of 5 p.m., the central city of Sejong had the highest voter turnout of 67.5 percent, followed by South Jeo
lla Province at 67.1 percent and the southwestern city of Gwagnju at 65.7 percent.
The southern island of Jeju logged the lowest of 59.7 percent.
Seoul’s turnout stood at 66 percent.
Source: Yonhap News Agency
