First day of early voting reaches record-high voter turnout rate

The two-day early voting started today ahead of the June 3rd presidential election next week.

Nearly 8-point-7 million voters cast their ballots on this first day, with the turnout reaching a record-high for Day One.

Our Ahn Sung-jin spoke with those who cast their ballots for their hopes and wishes.

The line stretches out far beyond the front of the polling station.

With early voting starting on Thursday, those who came to cast their ballot ahead of the presidential election next Tuesday have poured in.

Election officials had to control the line of people, and in the afternoon, there was a waiting time of around 30 to 40 minutes.

"I had come here during lunchtime, but the line was so long, so I came again now. It's obvious for me to come and exercise my rights."

"A good thing about early voting is we get to come in at a convenient time for us. Especially for this time because the previous president was impeached, I cast a ballot in hopes of a president with a vision for the country."

"This polling station in Yeoksam-dong Gangnam-gu District, in a bustling area with offices and business people, has been seeing an influx of voters from early in the morning till the end of the first day."

The voter turnout rate for the first day was at 19-point-58 percent, 2-point-01 percentage points higher than the previous presidential election, and a record-high figure for the first day of early voting since 2014, when early voting took place in nationwide elections.

A total of 8,691,711 voters cast their ballots across the country.

Early voting takes place for two days, Thursday and Friday, from 6 AM til 6 PM.

Voters must be over 18 and bring a government-issued ID.

Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.