Early voting kicks off for 2025 Presidential Election: what to watch for

Day One of early voting wrapped up some two hours ago, hopefully, serving as a barometer indicating how engaged the public is.

For more on the early voting process and what to watch for, we're joined by our Moon Hye-ryeon in the studio.

Hye-ryeon, what stands out to you this time when Korea is holding a snap election?

What stands out is how authorities are working more thoroughly than in past elections to ensure a secure and transparent voting process.

During the two-day early voting period, security will be intensified, with more than six thousand police officers deployed to early voting stations in Seoul alone.

Acting President Lee Ju-ho has personally visited early voting stations, urging officials to ensure a fair process.

"It's an important election, and it must be fair without the slightest gap, so I ask for your best efforts."

For the first time ever, the NEC is publishing real-time data on the number of voters every hour — and this change is intended to dispel suspicions that early voting numbers could be inflated to manipulate results.

The NEC also announced that all election staff — including ballot counters and polling station managers — will be confirmed as South Korean nationals.

This comes following controversy that a Chinese national was working as a ballot counter back in the 2020 parliamentary elections.

Although current election law does not require election staff to be South Korean citizens, the NEC has taken this extra step to further safeguard public trust.

Also, for the first time, the NEC will operate a team of 30 members to observe the entire election process — from candidate registration to ballot storage.

Additionally, 24-hour surveillance camera feeds from ballot storage facilities will be available to the public.

This was first introduced during the general election last year, and citizens can visit their local NEC offices to view the live footage.

Furthermore, in response to past controversies over the use of QR codes on ballot papers, this year's early voting ballots will feature one-dimensional barcodes to boost transparency and address suspicions of tampering.

Tell us how early voting started in Korea and what this means for voters.

Early voting was first introduced in 2012 and piloted in 2013 as a way to make elections more accessible — especially for people who can't vote on the main election day due to work, travel, or other commitments.

In past elections, early voting was usually held on Fridays and Saturdays, allowing people with weekday jobs to vote on the weekend.

But this year, both early voting days — May 29th and 30th — fall on weekdays only.

That's because this is a snap election, triggered by the impeachment of a president.

Under Korean law, the vote must take place within 60 days, so the schedule was compressed to meet the legal deadline.

Despite the change, accessibility remains a key focus.

There are more than three thousand early voting stations across the country — including polling stations inside hospitals, and even at Incheon International Airport to make sure that people on the move, including patients and travelers, can still vote.

With early voting, no prior registration is needed — anyone can walk into an early voting station and cast their ballot.

"Early voting can be done anywhere in the country, so I was able to stop by and vote on my way to work without the hassle of going to a different location."

And looking ahead, what does the rest of the election timeline look like from here?

Early voting will continue into tomorrow, with polling stations around the country open from 6 AM to 6 PM.

After early voting closes on Friday evening, there will be a brief quiet period where campaigns will continue their final pushes before the official election day, which is next Tuesday, June 3rd.

It's a national holiday, and polling stations will be open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Ballots will be counted immediately after voting ends, and the National Election Commission is expected to verify the results on Wednesday, June 4th.

The inauguration of South Korea's new president will take place thereafter.

Thank you for your report, Hye-ryeon.

Thank you for having me.