Early voting opens nationwide ahead of June 3 local elections

May 29, 2026, 08:33 am

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Election officials inspect voting equipment at an early voting station set up at the Jongno 1, 2, 3 and 4-ga Community Service Center in Seoul on May 28, one day before early voting begins for South Korea’s June 3 local elections. Early voting will take place nationwide on May 29 and 30 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., allowing voters to cast ballots at any designated polling station regardless of their registered address. /Photo by Jung Jae-hoon

Early voting for South Korea’s June 3 local elections and parliamentary by-elections will take place nationwide over two days beginning May 29, as rival political parties intensify efforts to mobilize supporters in the final stretch of the campaign.

According to the National Election Commission (NEC), voters may cast their ballots at any of the country’s 3,571 early voting stations from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 29 and 30, regardless of their place of residence.

Voters must bring an identification card containing their photograph and date of birth, such as a resident registration card or driver’s license. Mobile identification cards are accepted, but screenshots or saved images of digital IDs are not.

Polling station locations can be checked through the NEC website or major online portals.

Voting procedures differ depending on whether voters are casting ballots within or outside their registered electoral district. Those voting within their district may place completed ballots directly into the ballot box.

Voters casting ballots outside their home district must seal their ballot in a designated return envelope before depositing the envelope into the ballot box. Election authorities emphasized that only the official marking stamp provided at polling booths may be used. Ballots marked with personal seals or writing instruments will be invalidated.

Most voters will receive seven ballot papers. Voters in Sejong and Jeju will receive four ballots each, while residents in districts holding parliamentary by-elections, including Busan’s Buk-gap and Gyeonggi’s Pyeongtaek-eul constituencies, will receive one additional ballot. Out-of-district voters will also receive a return envelope.

With several closely contested races emerging in the final days before the election, both major parties are encouraging supporters to participate in early voting.

Jung Cheong-rae of the Democratic Party said during an appearance on a YouTube program that all citizens supporting President Lee Jae-myung should cast their votes and urged them to take part in early voting.

Meanwhile, Jeong Hui-yong said the party would closely monitor and review all stages of the voting process to address concerns surrounding early voting, while encouraging voter participation.

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