According to the National Election Commission, 2,744,241 out of 41,296,228 voters participated in early voting conducted for 2 days from May 30 to 31, achieving the turnout of 11.49%.

There was an increase of 4,016,419 voters from 727,822 who voted in absentee voting for 2010 local elections. The figure is more than twice the turnout in early voting conducted for 2013 repeat/by-elections (by 4.78% from the turnout in the first half and 5.45% from that in the second half).  

Looking at the turnout by age group, it reached 15.97% among voters in their twenties or under, 9.41% among those in their thirties, 9.99% among those in their forties, 11.53% among those in their fifties, 12.22% among those in their sixties, and 10.00% among those in their seventies or over.

The biggest turnout was among male voters in their twenties or under, which is 16.91%. It is followed by the 11.88% turnout among male voters in their fifties and 11.29% among those in their sixties or over.  

According to the NEC, the turnout for absentee voting in the past was highest among military personnel (approx. 52,000 participated respectively in 2012 Presidential election and 2010 local elections). The NEC also said that approx. 32,000 military/police personnel had applied for the delivery of campaign booklets and that their participation would explain the big turnout among those in their twenties.

Jeollanam-do achieved the 18.05% turnout, the highest among all Si/Dos and Daegu metropolitan city achieved the lowest – 8.00%.

The turnout reached 4.75% on May 30 (Fri), the first day of early voting, and 6.74% on May 31 (Sat), the second day of early voting, suggesting that more voters participated on the weekend.

Also, 43.8% of all the voters participating in early voting turned out to have voted in other areas than his/her own Eup/Myeon/Dong.

According to the NEC, all ballot boxes used in early voting are transported to the relevant Gu/Si/Gun Election Commission and kept safe until they are moved to counting centers immediately after the poll closes at 6 pm on June 4.

The NEC has the emergency response system in place such as its staff assigned for 24 hours to the place where the ballot boxes used for early voting are kept, special patrol thereof by the police of the relevant jurisdiction, increased patrol by the security service company. Commissioners and counting observers nominated by political parties are to accompany when the ballot boxes are delivered to counting centers.  

The NEC was quoted as saying that support from the public and active cooperation by relevant agencies had led to the successful management of early voting conducted for the first time in nationwide elections despite a great deal of difficulty in preparing the elections.

Early voting is appraised for its contribution to increasing voters’ convenience by enabling them to vote at any early polling station in the nation regardless of their residential addresses and actually extending election day from 1 day to 3 days.

The NEC expressed its determination to constantly review and promote ways to improve the system to facilitate voting while asking those who had not participated in early voting to cast their vote on June 4 election day.