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Live at PPP situation room: Conservatives monitor voting from National Assembly

2025/06/03 14:00

Up next we touch base with the conservative camp ALSO at the National Assembly preparing for its members to gather for the vote count. I have our correspondent Oh Soo-young standing by live. Soo-young it's good to have you on. So what's the latest at your end? Well, as voting will take place over the next six or so hours, the situation room here is still quite empty as of now. The wait continues with mixed emotions among party members. There's hope which springs eternal in any election campaign, but also a sense of inevitability and anxiety. Kim has lagged behind the Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung in national polls throughout the campaign by around 10 percentage points, with some polls showing an even wider gap. Still, there's cautious optimism that Kim did his absolute best in the campaign, and there'll be a turnaround among the so-called shy conservatives and undecided voters. As per tradition, Kim Moon-soo himself will monitor the voting and ballot counting process from his home in Gwanak-gu District, southern Seoul. If the vote count indicates he may be the winner, he come to the situation room here at the National Assembly tonight. Key PPP figures will be on standby at the party's election headquarters from 7:30 p.m. Soo-young I understand Kim Moon-soo sought out supporters in several cities over a span of some ten hours yesterday. Do tell us more. That's right. Literally pulling out all the stops on his last day of campaigning, People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo travelled across five cities in ten hours. From the southern island of Jeju to the capital of Seoul, the 73-year old candidate pledged to reform governance to meet the demands of the people. He apologised for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration, which has tainted his party by association. As he stopped by Busan for the third time, the conservative stronghold of Daegu, and the central city of Daejeon, Kim lashed out against his Democratic Party rival Lee Jae-myung, warning against his style of dictatorial governance, and raised a red flag on Lee's family scandals. Kim stressed that his own wife had never used a corporate card and that his daughter had never publicly uttered vulgar language, like Lee's son allegedly did. Stood on stage with his family at Seoul City Hall square, Kim held his final rally in the Korean capital. The PPP candidate emphasised unity with former rivals from the party primary, including Na Kyung-won, Ahn Cheol-soo, and Han Dong-hoon, to prevent what he called a dictatorship under Lee Jae-myung. After failing to achieve a joint conservative ticket with Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok, Kim further called on voters to back him, not Reform's candidate, saying a split vote would only help the DP's Lee Jae-myung win. (Korean) Over 22 days of official campaigning, Kim has travelled over 73-hundred kilometers to hold 157 events. All right Soo-young thank you for that coverage of the conservative camp.

Live at DP situation room: Liberals monitor voting from National Assembly

2025/06/03 14:00

We turn now to the National Assembly where the two main political parties have set up camps to watch the vote count that is slated to begin after polling stations close doors at eight in the evening. First then our Moon Hye-ryeon joins me now from the liberal camp. Hye-ryeon welcome. It's a little after two in the afternoon and judging from the scene behind you I assume it's still relatively quiet there? Good morning, Sunny. I'm here at the building's main conference hall which is where the DP has set up its situation room. It's relatively quiet given that it's still early in the day and party members are expected to gather here later this afternoon. As you can see behind me, there are two big screens toward the front of the stage and ten smaller screens set up on the stage itself, which is how the party and its candidate Lee Jae-myung will be watching the vote count unfold once the polls close at 8 PM. Lee will be resting at his home in Gyeyang, Incheon, as he has no official schedule for today after finishing up his final rally last night. While nothing has been confirmed as of yet, he's expected to head over here once the voting concludes and the results begin to take shape. Once they do roll in, they will no doubt influence the atmosphere and energy in this room. Lee was the forerunner in national polls before the blackout for new polls six days ago, so expectations are high among party members hoping to ride that momentum to a win tonight. Hye-ryeon before you go do tell us a bit MORE about Lee Jae-myung's final public rally at Seoul's Yeouido Monday night. That's right, as campaign activity is banned on Election Day, last night was Lee's final opportunity to appeal to the public face-to-face. For his final rally, he returned to Yeouido, where the National Assembly building that I'm currently at is located, and which is also the symbolic heart of the December 3rd martial law protests. Let's take a listen to what he said. "Tomorrow's vote will decide: end the insurrection or continue it, restore livelihoods or destroy them, grow the economy or wreck it." After the rally, Lee livestreamed on YouTube to make a final appeal. Sitting in front of the camera, he told viewers he was still "three votes short" and urged them to "help carry him across the finish line." Over the past 22 days, Lee's campaign traveled over five thousand kilometers, taking him to 66 rallies with 236-thousand people on the trail. His last day of campaigning took him across key battlegrounds in the Seoul metropolitan area — from Gangbuk to Gangseo, and finally to Seongnam, where he first entered politics. Lee pledged to order an immediate review of the economic situation should he take office, placing urgent focus on recovering livelihoods. With all eyes now on how tonight's results will unfold, that's all I have for now. I'll be back with more updates in a later newscast. Back to you, Sunny. All right Hye-ryeon thank you for the latest from the liberal camp.

Voter turnout for S. Korea's 21st presidential election at 62.1% as of 1 PM

2025/06/03 14:00

It's been a little over eight hours since voting began at six this morning and for a glimpse of the turnout thus far I have our Lee Eun-hee standing by live at the National Election Commission. Eun-hee good afternoon! So what has been shared about the voter turnout nationwide as we speak? Well Sunny, I'm at the National Election Commission in Gwacheon City, where officials are keeping track of the voter turnout. It's been about 8 hours since the polls opened this morning at 6 AM. The current turnout as of 2 PM is -point-percent, and this figure factors in numbers from early voting. Figures by region are as of 1 PM. Jeollanam-do Province, which showed the highest early voter turnout rate, is showing the highest total voter turnout at 74-point-1 percent. The lowest turnout is in Busan at 58-point-1 percent. Daegu, which had the lowest early voter turnout, now stands at 59-point-3 percent, the second-lowest turnout rate so far. Gwangju is at 71-point-6 percent, while Incheon is at 60-point-1 percent and Daejeon stands at 62-point-1 percent. The capital Seoul is seeing a turnout of 61-point-2 percent. Gyeonggi-do Province stands at 61-point-6 percent, while Jeollabuk-do Province is at 71-point-8 percent. In terms of other provinces, turnout in Chungcheongbuk-do is 61-point-2 percent, Chungcheongnam-do 60-point-3 percent, Gyeongsangbuk-do 61-point-8 percent, and Gyeongsangnam-do 60-point-5 percent. So far, the hourly voter turnout is slightly higher than in the 2022 presidential election, which ended with a final turnout of 77-point-1 percent. Now, focus is on the final turnout rate. Right and Eun-hee when might we learn about the result of this latest election? Yes, Sunny. Once the voting ends at 8 PM, the ballot boxes will be sealed and taken to counting centers under police escort. Counting begins soon after and the National Election Commission expects counting to be finished by around 6:00 AM Wednesday morning. The result should become clear by midnight, once 70 to 80 percent of votes are counted. However, final results of course may take longer depending on voter turnout and how close the race is. Once counting is done, the NEC will hold a full committee meeting in which the new president will be formally declared. This meeting is expected to happen between 7 and 9 AM on Wednesday, and the process should only take 5 to 10 minutes. The new president's term will immediately begin. On Monday, Noh Tae-ak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, urged active voter participation, emphasizing the importance of creating a united South Korea through voting. Noh assured the public that the NEC has prioritized transparency, highlighting measures such as 24-hour CCTV at early voting stations and a vote paper inspection system, both implemented in last year's general election. Authorities are focusing on safety management as well. The National Fire Agency has launched special emergency operations at over 15-thousand polling and counting stations nationwide, running until ballot counting ends. Also this morning at 6 AM, police declared the highest level of emergency alert, mobilizing all available personnel. This heightened readiness will continue until the new president's inauguration is complete and he arrives at his office on Wednesday. Around 60-thousand officers are assigned to polling station security, 45-thousand to ballot transport and 7-thousand to counting center protection. That's all I have for now, I'll be back with more updates later. Back to you, Sunny. All right Eun-hee thank you for the latest from the National Election Commission.

The foreign policy stakes behind South Korea’s vote

2025/06/03 10:00

Regardless of who wins the election, the incoming administration needs to reset South Korea's foreign policy as one of the core national missions, especially after months of a hiatus in diplomacy. But how this is done will vary depending on who actually becomes the next president. Our Kim Jung-sil reports. Three front-runners. Three different visions for South Korea's role on the global stage. In their final televised debate, the candidates outlined foreign policy agendas that could reshape the country's position in a region facing rapid change. Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung called for balance between the U.S. alliance and stable ties with China and Russia. He warned of a diplomatic vacuum since the December 3rd martial law unrest and said South Korea's approach must evolve. "The U.S. alliance is the foundation of our foreign policy. It must be developed practically, inclusively, and with a long-term vision. But we must not neglect ties with China and Russia, they require careful, strategic management." On North Korea, Lee seems to be charting a different course from past progressive leaders, favoring step-by-step engagement over demands for immediate denuclearization. Conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo took a harder line, saying diplomacy must be backed by strength. "Kim Jong-un's dictatorship threatens our lives and property with nuclear weapons and missile provocations. I will build a transparent, principled inter-Korean relationship and strengthen our defenses by reinforcing nuclear deterrence through the U.S. alliance." At the same time, his team told Arirang News he's open to meeting North Korea's leader, while supporting economic and cultural engagement, as long as it's grounded in South Korea's constitutional principle of one unified nation. At 40, Lee Jun-seok is the youngest candidate in the race. Last week, he laid out his latest foreign policy vision, backed by sweeping institutional reform. "The president of South Korea must have international experience and a practical mindset. If elected, I will merge the unification and foreign ministries, and appoint a deputy prime minister for national security to oversee foreign affairs, unification and defense policies." Lee says South Korea should lead its alliance and not just rely on it. Three visions for South Korea's future on the world stage. By tonight, one of them will begin to shape it. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

What South Koreans want from new president

2025/06/03 12:00

These days, the issue of young people taking breaks from work is becoming a major social problem. I think resolving that issue should be the top priority. The five-year term can feel long or short depending on how you look at it. I hope the next government focuses on the policies it proposes and follows through on its promises. When it comes to climate issues, I hope the government shows more interest in renewable energy and reconsiders its stance on nuclear phase-out policies. I think we need to end the hierarchy among universities and reduce reliance on the private education market to move toward a more equal education system. No matter who gets elected, if they made campaign pledges, I hope they will at least keep one of them. Since I'm self-employed, I hope there's more support for and attention given to small business owners. My biggest hope is for stable housing to be properly addressed. I hope the new government will consider those who have less, and that people will put sharing into practice. As someone in my early thirties, I'm thinking about marriage. While I think there are already some decent policies, it's still hard for young people to prepare for marriage. I hope there will be more support, like relaxing loan regulations or easing related policies.

Here's what each S. Korea's presidential candidates' economic visions look like

2025/06/03 12:00

Another top priority for all three frontrunners is revitalizing South Korea's shrinking economy, a pledge that has taken center stage throughout the campaign. Our economics correspondent Lee Soo-jin breaks down what each candidate is proposing to help get the economy back on its feet. With economic institutions both at home and abroad revising down their growth projections for South Korea, economic pledges are taking center stage in the presidential race. "The domestic economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter ---negative growth. How can our people make a living like this? Please elect Lee Jae-myung, a Lee Jae-myung, a capable, loyal, and well-prepared worker, as president." "It's true that Korea is now in a slump, with very low growth, among the worst globally, right? I will bring this economy back to life as a president of the economy, everyone!" Half of Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung's pledges focus on the economy, while seven out of ten of People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo's are economic pledges. And Lee's top economic pledge and Kim's second is artificial intelligence, signaling how both view it as central to Korea's economic growth. Both propose investing 100 trillion won, or around 71 billion U.S. dollars, into fostering the AI industry but their plans of how they'll use these funds differ. Lee Jae-myung's "AI for All" initiative aims to expand public access by offering free, advanced AI services, including a Korean version of ChatGPT, while also pledging to secure over 50 thousand high-performance GPUs. Kim, plans to set up a public-private fund to foster AI unicorns and vows to train 200-thousand young specialists through graduate programs and software-focused universities. But both agree that Korea's regulations are outdated ---with Lee calling for special exemptions, and Kim pushing to align regulations with global standards. Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok, currently third in the polls, has proposed market-driven AI innovation with minimal state intervention. And another issue that has garnered much attention is each candidate's bid to improve work-life balance. " he (Lee Jae-myung) also focused on a 4-point-5 day workweek that is aimed at reducing worker fatigue and improving their work-life balance, . If you look at Kim Moon-soo's proposal, he believes that with good negotiations between workers and employers, a more flexible situation can be achieved without dramatic changes." Lee has proposed reducing the standard workweek from 40 to 36 hours by cutting Friday afternoons , without reducing wages. Kim's plan, adds an extra hour per day from Monday to Thursday for a shorter Friday without reducing total hours, and includes exemptions to the 52-hour cap for the semiconductor sector. And Lee Jun-seok,.. instead of a 4-point-5-day workweek proposal, has pledged labor reforms that include giving local governments the authority to adjust the minimum wage to revitalize regional economies. Though each candidate's visions differ, their focus on the economy underscores its central role in this election. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

The foreign policy stakes behind South Korea’s vote

2025/06/03 12:00

Regardless of who wins the race, South Korea's next president faces a full agenda, addressing both domestic and international issues that have been put on hold due to months of political uncertainty following last December's martial law declaration. We'll now examine the key policy visions of the three leading candidates, starting with foreign policy. Here's our Kim Jung-sil with the details. Three front-runners. Three different visions for South Korea's role on the global stage. In their final televised debate, the candidates outlined foreign policy agendas that could reshape the country's position in a region facing rapid change. Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung called for balance between the U.S. alliance and stable ties with China and Russia. He warned of a diplomatic vacuum since the December 3rd martial law unrest and said South Korea's approach must evolve. "The U.S. alliance is the foundation of our foreign policy. It must be developed practically, inclusively, and with a long-term vision. But we must not neglect ties with China and Russia, they require careful, strategic management." On North Korea, Lee seems to be charting a different course from past progressive leaders, favoring step-by-step engagement over demands for immediate denuclearization. Conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo took a harder line, saying diplomacy must be backed by strength. "Kim Jong-un's dictatorship threatens our lives and property with nuclear weapons and missile provocations. I will build a transparent, principled inter-Korean relationship and strengthen our defenses by reinforcing nuclear deterrence through the U.S. alliance." At the same time, his team told Arirang News he's open to meeting North Korea's leader, while supporting economic and cultural engagement, as long as it's grounded in South Korea's constitutional principle of one unified nation. At 40, Lee Jun-seok is the youngest candidate in the race. Last week, he laid out his latest foreign policy vision, backed by sweeping institutional reform. "The president of South Korea must have international experience and a practical mindset. If elected, I will merge the unification and foreign ministries, and appoint a deputy prime minister for national security to oversee foreign affairs, unification and defense policies." Lee says South Korea should lead its alliance and not just rely on it. Three visions for South Korea's future on the world stage. By tonight, one of them will begin to shape it. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

Reform Party candidate wraps up campaign focusing on young, conservative voters

2025/06/03 12:00

And the Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok was down in Busan City this morning, encouraging voters to cast their ballot. He spent the final day of campaigning yesterday solidifying his support among young voters. At Korea Polytechnic University in Gyeonggi-do Province, Lee joined students for a meal at the school cafeteria -- his final lunchtime outreach. He then wrapped up the day in the conservative stronghold of Daegu City at Suseong Lake, where he appealed to conservative voters by portraying himself as a new-generation leader for the right.

Live at PPP situation room: Conservatives monitor voting from National Assembly

2025/06/03 12:00

We now connect with our reporter at the main conservative People Power Party's situation room. Oh Soo-young is there at the National Assembly Library. Q1. Soo-young, what's the mood like over there and how's Kim Moon-soo and the PPP observing election day? Well, it's still quite early in the day, as voting will take place over the next eight or so hours. So the situation room here is quite empty as of now, as the wait continues with mixed emotions among party members. There's hope which springs eternal in any election campaign, but also a sense of inevitability and anxiety. Kim has lagged behind the Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung in national polls throughout the campaign by around 10 percentage points, with some polls showing an even wider gap. Still, there's cautious optimism that Kim did his absolute best in the campaign, and there'll be a turnaround among the so-called shy conservatives and undecided voters. As per tradition, Kim Moon-soo himself will monitor the voting and ballot counting process from his home in Gwanak-gu District, southern Seoul. If the vote count indicates he may be the winner, he come to the situation room here at the National Assembly tonight. Key PPP figures will be on standby at the party's election headquarters from 7:30 p.m. Q2. He wrapped up his campaign on Monday with quite an ambitious nationwide tour. That's right. Literally pulling out all the stops on his last day of campaigning, People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo travelled across five cities in ten hours. From the southern island of Jeju to the capital of Seoul, the 73-year old candidate pledged to reform governance to meet the demands of the people. He apologised for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration, which has tainted his party by association. As he stopped by Busan for the third time, the conservative stronghold of Daegu, and the central city of Daejeon, Kim lashed out against his Democratic Party rival Lee Jae-myung, warning against his style of dictatorial governance, and raised a red flag on Lee's family scandals. Kim stressed that his own wife had never used a corporate card and that his daughter had never publicly uttered vulgar language, like Lee's son allegedly did. Stood on stage with his family at Seoul City Hall square, Kim held his final rally in the Korean capital. The PPP candidate emphasised unity with former rivals from the party primary, including Na Kyung-won, Ahn Cheol-soo, and Han Dong-hoon, to prevent what he called a dictatorship under Lee Jae-myung. After failing to achieve a joint conservative ticket with Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok, Kim further called on voters to back him, not Reform's candidate, saying a split vote would only help the DP's Lee Jae-myung win. (Korean) Over 22 days of official campaigning, Kim has travelled over 73-hundred kilometers to hold 157 events. Our Oh Soo-young at the People Power Party's situation room. Thank you.

Live at DP situation room: Liberals monitor voting from National Assembly

2025/06/03 12:00

We now connect live to our Moon Hye-ryeon, who's at the National Assembly Members' Office Building covering the Democratic Party of Korea. Hye-ryeon, how are things looking over there? Good morning, Yoo-jin. I'm here at the building's main conference room, which is relatively quiet given that it's still early in the day. Party members have yet to arrive, but they're expected to gather here later this afternoon. As you can see behind me, there are two big screens toward the front of the stage and ten smaller screens set up on the stage itself, which is how the party and its candidate Lee Jae-myung will be watching the vote count unfold once the polls close at 8 PM. Lee will be resting at his home in Gyeyang, Incheon, as he has no official schedule for today after finishing up his final rally last night. While nothing has been confirmed as of yet, he's expected to head over here once the voting concludes and the results begin to take shape. Once they do roll in, they will no doubt influence the atmosphere and energy in this room. Lee was the forerunner in national polls before the blackout for new polls six days ago, so expectations are high among party members hoping to ride that momentum to a win tonight. You mentioned that he finished up his campaign trail last night, tell us more about that. That's right, as campaign activity is banned on Election Day, last night was Lee's final opportunity to appeal to the public face-to-face. For his final rally, he returned to Yeouido, where the National Assembly building that I'm currently at is located, and which is also the symbolic heart of the December 3rd martial law protests. "Tomorrow's vote will decide: end the insurrection or continue it, restore livelihoods or destroy them, grow the economy or wreck it." After the rally, Lee livestreamed on YouTube to make a final appeal. Sitting alone in front of the camera, he told viewers he was still "three votes short" and urged them to "help carry him across the finish line." Over the past 22 days, Lee's campaign traveled over five thousand kilometers, taking him to 66 rallies with 236-thousand people on the trail. His last day of campaigning took him across key battlegrounds in the Seoul metropolitan area — from Gangbuk to Gangseo, and finally to Seongnam, where he first entered politics. Lee pledged to order an immediate review of the economic situation should he take office, placing urgent focus on recovering livelihoods. With all eyes now on how tonight's results will unfold, that's all I have for now. I'll be back with more updates in a later newscast. Back to you, Yoo-jin. Thank you, Hye-ryeon, keep a close eye on the situation over there for us throughout the day.

Voter turnout for S. Korea's 21st presidential election at 18.3% as of 11 AM

2025/06/03 12:00

It's just past noon here in South Korea. How many South Korean voters have already cast their ballots since polls opened? We now connect with our Lee Eun-hee at the National Election Commission. Hello there, Eun-hee. Eun-hee, we're still early on election day, but how's the turnout looking this afternoon? Well Yoo-jin, I'm at the National Election Commission in Gwacheon City, where officials are keeping track of the voter turnout. It's been about 6 hours since the polls opened this morning at 6 AM. Turnout at 12 PM is -point-percent, not including figures from early voting. Early voting turnout will be reflected starting with the 1 PM update. Figures by region are as of 11 AM. Daegu, which had recorded the lowest early voter turnout, is now showing the highest turnout rate at 23-point-1 percent. The lowest turnout is in Jeollanam-do Province, which showed the highest early voter turnout rate, at 12-point-5 percent. Gwangju is at 13 percent, while the capital Seoul is seeing a turnout of 17-point-1 percent. Incheon is at 18-point-1 percent, Busan at 17-point-7 percent and Daejeon stands at 19-point-4 percent. Gyeonggi-do Province stands at 19 percent, while Jeollabuk-do Province is at 13-point-2 percent. In terms of other provinces, turnout in Chungcheongbuk-do is 19-point-2 percent, Chungcheongnam-do 19-point-8 percent, Gyeongsangbuk-do 21-point-4 percent, and Gyeongsangnam-do 19-point-4 percent. In this presidential election, early voting was held last week for two days recording a turnout of slightly over 34-percent, the second highest on record. So far, the hourly voter turnout is slightly higher than in the 2022 presidential election, which ended with a final turnout of 77-point-1 percent. Eun-hee, so the polls will close at 8 PM tonight. That's when voting counting officially begins. When will the results be known? Yes, Yoo-jin. Once the voting ends at 8 PM, the ballot boxes will be sealed and taken to counting centers under police escort. Counting begins soon after and the National Election Commission expects counting to be finished by around 6:00 AM Wednesday morning. The result should become clear by midnight, once 70 to 80 percent of votes are counted. However, final results of course may take longer depending on voter turnout and how close the race is. Once counting is done, the NEC will hold a full committee meeting in which the new president will be formally declared. This meeting is expected to happen between 7 and 9 AM on Wednesday, and the process should only take 5 to 10 minutes. The new president's term will immediately begin. On Monday, Noh Tae-ak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, urged active voter participation, emphasizing the importance of creating a united South Korea through voting. Noh assured the public that the NEC has prioritized transparency, highlighting measures such as 24-hour CCTV at early voting stations and a vote paper inspection system, both implemented in last year's general election. Authorities are focusing on safety management as well. The National Fire Agency has launched special emergency operations at over 15-thousand polling and counting stations nationwide, running until ballot counting ends. Also this morning at 6 AM, police declared the highest level of emergency alert, mobilizing all available personnel. This heightened readiness will continue until the new president's inauguration is complete and he arrives at his office on Wednesday. Around 60-thousand officers are assigned to polling station security, 45-thousand to ballot transport and 7-thousand to counting center protection. That's all I have for now, I'll be back with more updates later. Back to you, Yoo-jin. Please do Eun-hee. That was our Lee Eun-hee from the National Election Commission.

Live from a polling station as voting gets underway in S. Korea's presidential election

2025/06/03 10:00

South Korea is holding the 21st presidential election two years earlier than expected to choose a new leader who will replace former president Yoon Suk Yeol after he was removed from office over his martial law order. Polls have been open since 6 AM this morning and will remain open for the next 10 hours. We go to one of the polling stations with our Ahn Sung-jin standing by. Good morning, Sung-jin. Sung-jin, after weeks of putting up with a deluge of polling and K-pop campaigning, voters finally get their say today? Good morning Dami. As we head past 10AM here, it's been about 4 hours since voting started at 6AM this morning. I am currently standing in front of a polling location in Sadang-dong, in Seoul's Dongjak-gu District. I was out here since the early hours, and similar to the early voting, we saw people waiting for the polling station to open so they could cast their vote. The election taking place today is the first one since the COVID-19 pandemic. In that previous election, masks were mandatory and regular voters were separated from those who were under isolation. The polling station I'm at is one of 14,295 nationwide and 2,260 from Seoul. We already saw the second-highest voter turnout rate for early voting, and many have gathered to vote early this morning as well. Have a listen to some of the voters. "Our economy is going through a difficult time right now so I hope the new president can boost our economy domestically and internationally and improve people's livelihoods." "This is my first vote ever, and I'm proud to be participating in it. I would like them to work on making Korea a better country to live in." Sung-jin, for our voters who are yet to cast their ballot, do remind us the voting process and what voters should on the look out for. So voting takes place from 6AM till 8PM, and voters must be 18 or above and bring a government issued ID. Unlike early voting, voters can only cast their ballot based on their registered address. Which polling station they can vote at can be found on a voting guide delivered to each household or through the National Election Commission website. Anyone who arrives at the polls and stands in line before the polls close has the right to vote. Taking selfies or pictures of the ballots, while inside the polling booths is strictly prohibited. That's all I have for now for this glimpse of the polling station in the early hours of today, and I will be back for more later. Back to you Dami. Sung-jin, thank you for the report. We appreciate it.

What South Koreans want from new president

2025/06/03 10:00

What to know about South Korea’s high-stakes presidential vote

2025/06/03 10:00

South Korea ended 2024 with a botched martial law order and saw yet another South Korean president impeached this April. And just 60 days later, the country is now on the hunt for a new leader. We recap the last 6 months and what the past half a year has left us with. Joining us now is my colleague Kim Jung-sil. Jung-sil, welcome. Thanks for having me, Dami. Jung-sil, it's been such a hectic year for South Korea. And it was the December 3rd martial law order to begin with that caught the South Korean people and the entire world off guard? Yes, Dami. It all began on the night of December 3rd, when then-President Yoon Suk Yeol unexpectedly declared martial law in a late-night televised address. He accused the opposition-led National Assembly of paralyzing the government and invoked sweeping emergency powers, banning political activity, tightening media control, and authorizing warrantless arrests. You might remember the footage: troops surrounding the Assembly building as citizens and lawmakers rushed there to protest the martial law. Then, around 1 AM on December 4th, 190 lawmakers, including members of Yoon's own party, some scaling the fences to get in, convened inside, unanimously voting to overturn the decree. Martial law was lifted just hours later. Yoon publicly apologized, but the political backlash was overwhelming. On December 14th, the National Assembly voted to impeach him. He became the first sitting president to be detained while in office, and was later indicted for insurrection. On April 4th, the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment, citing grave violations of the democratic order. Under South Korean law, a new election must follow within 60 days. And that brings us to today. We're seeing a lot of energy around today's vote, but a big part of that momentum came early. Let's talk about early voting, both domestic and overseas. Yes, Dami. South Koreans have already shown strong engagement ahead of today's vote. Domestic early voting closed at 34.74%, slightly lower than the last presidential election, but still strong given it was held entirely on weekdays. Turnout was highest in the liberal southwest, like Jeollanam-do Province at 56.5%, while conservative regions like Daegu and Busan hovered in the mid-20s and low 30s. The National Election Commission introduced hourly turnout updates and installed CCTV screens showing 24-hour live footage of early ballot boxes, part of a broader effort to boost transparency and public trust. As for overseas voting, the numbers hit an all-time high with a 79.5% turnout , with ballots cast in 223 locations across 118 countries, including first-time sites in Lithuania and Luxembourg. Those ballots have now been sealed and flown home for today's final count. Let's turn to the campaign trail now. It's been a short but turbulent race, especially for the People Power Party, hasn't it? That's right, Dami. The brief campaign period was anything but smooth, especially for the People Power Party. In a chaotic overnight twist on May 10th, the PPP's leadership stripped Kim Moon-soo of his candidacy and rushed to replace him with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. By sunrise, Han was officially registered. But by nightfall, party members had rejected the switch in a vote, and Kim was reinstated. Kim also pursued a last-minute unity deal with Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party, but that too failed. Lee firmly rejected the merger, calling it regressive and a step backward for conservative reform. Meanwhile, the DP's Lee Jae-myung stuck to his message, promising to bring an end to the six months of political chaos triggered by martial law. And the campaign strategies couldn't have looked more different. How did the candidates try to connect with voters during the past three weeks? Well, this election season wasn't just dramatic, it was also unprecedented in how some of these candidates hit the trail. Lee Jae-myung wore a bulletproof vest and stood behind ballistic glass during the campaign; his team cited credible threats, including reports of smuggled firearms. It comes just over a year after he survived a knife attack in Busan, and it underscored just how charged this election has become. Kim Moon-soo spent the final stretch of his campaign slamming Lee, repeatedly referencing his ongoing legal battles. Lee Jun-seok, meanwhile, hit college campuses, using student cafeterias as a backdrop to rally young voters behind his call for generational change. Whether liberal or conservative, South Koreans are heading to the polls today with one goal: to move forward. Absolutely. I think today's vote will test whether the country is ready to rebuild trust in its democracy, after six months of political crisis. Thank you, Jung-sil for the thorough wrap-up. We appreciate it.

Reform Party candidate wraps up campaign focusing on young, conservative voters

2025/06/03 10:00

And the Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok is down in Busan City this morning encouraging voters to cast their ballot. He spent the final day of campaigning solidifying his support among young voters. At Korea Polytechnic University in Gyeonggi-do Province, Lee joined students for a meal at the school cafeteria -- his final lunchtime outreach. He then wrapped up the day in the conservative stronghold of Daegu City at Suseong Lake, where appealed to conservative voters by portraying himself as a new-generation leader for the right.

1 day, 5 cities: PPP's Kim Moon-soo travels from Jeju Island to Seoul on last campaign day

2025/06/03 10:00

The People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo staged a nationwide campaign from Jeju Island to the capital Seoul to spend the eve of election day at the grass plaza in front of Seoul City Hall, promising reform in governance. Oh Soo-young has more. Literally pulling out all the stops on his last day of campaigning, the People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo travelled across five cities in ten hours. From the southern island of Jeju to the capital Seoul, the 73-year-old candidate pledged reform in government and his party, to meet the call of the times and the demands of the people. "I will push for bold party reforms to achieve internal democracy, a horizontal relationship between the party and the president, the president's non-intervention in party affairs, and a healthy relationship between the party and the government." Once again, he issued an apology, over impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration, which has tainted his party by association. As he stopped by Busan for the third time, the conservative stronghold of Daegu, and the central city of Daejeon, Kim lashed out against his Democratic Party rival Lee Jae-myung, warning against his style of dictatorial governance, and raising a red flag over Lee's family scandals. Kim stressed that his own wife had never used a corporate card and that his daughter had never publicly uttered vulgar language, like Lee's son allegedly did. As if to prove his point, Kim was joined by his daughter in Daegu, and stood on stage with his family at his final rally at Seoul City Hall square. The PPP candidate also emphasised unity with former rivals from the party primary, including Na Kyung-won, Ahn Cheol-soo, and Han Dong-hoon, to prevent what he called a dictatorship under Lee Jae-myung. After failing to achieve a united conservative ticket with the Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok, Kim called on voters to back him, not Reform's candidate, saying a split vote would only help the DP's Lee Jae-myung win. "I believe tomorrow will be a great day. It will be the day we stop the bulletproof dictatorship and protect the Republic of Korea, a day when this nation can finally blossom." Kim ended the night, meeting citizens in areas bustling with young people, including Hongdae in central Seoul. Over the 22 days of official campaigning, Kim has travelled more than 73-hundred kilometers to hold 157 events. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

Back to Yeouido: Lee Jae-myung closes campaign with call for unity and action

2025/06/03 10:00

Presidential hopefuls are following the election from their homes on this big day after having wrapped up their 22 days of campaigning at locations that are dear to their respective parties. The Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung held his campaign finale at Seoul's Yeouido Park. Moon Hye-ryeon reports. In the final rally of the 21st presidential race, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung returned to where it all began — Yeouido, the symbolic heart of the December 3rd martial law protests. Surrounded by a sea of supporters and waves of blue balloons, Lee called on voters to complete what he is calling a "Revolution of Light." "Tomorrow's vote will decide: end the insurrection or continue it, restore livelihoods or destroy them, grow the economy or wreck it." He accused "forces of insurrection" of spreading fake news and manipulating public opinion — and said only a decisive voter turnout could prevent their resurgence. Before stepping off stage, Lee and his supporters sang the national anthem through all four verses and he bowed deeply, thanking the crowd. With campaign activity banned on Election Day, this was Lee's final opportunity to address the public face-to-face. But his campaign didn't end there. After the rally, Lee livestreamed on YouTube to make a final appeal. Sitting alone in front of the camera, he told viewers he was still "three votes short" and urged them to "help carry him across the finish line." Over the past 22 days, Lee's campaign traveled over five thousand kilometers, taking him to 66 rallies with 236-thousand people on the trail. His last day of campaigning took him across key battlegrounds in the Seoul metropolitan area — from Gangbuk to Gangseo, and finally to Seongnam, where he first entered politics. "Your vote is the start of real change --turning despair into hope, division into unity, and stagnation into growth. Trust Lee Jae-myung, a loyal and capable public servant who has always delivered results through action. I'll get the job done." Lee pledged to order an immediate review of the economic situation upon taking office, placing urgent focus on recovering livelihoods. Striking a tone of inclusion, Lee said he would be a president for all — not just those in blue. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Here's what each S. Korea's presidential candidates' economic visions look like

2025/06/03 10:00

And all eyes are on what the incoming president's first directive will be. Their visions for South Korea's diplomacy may differ sharply, but all of the three main runners appear to be on the same page when it comes to bouncing back the country's economy. Our Lee Soo-jin has more. With economic institutions both at home and abroad revising down their growth projections for South Korea, economic pledges are taking center stage in the presidential race. "The domestic economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter ---negative growth. How can our people make a living like this? Please elect Lee Jae-myung, a capable, loyal, and well-prepared worker, as president." "It's true that Korea is now in a slump, with very low growth, among the worst globally, right? I will bring this economy back to life as a president of the economy, everyone!" Half of Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung's pledges focus on the economy, while seven out of ten of People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo's are economic pledges. And Lee's top economic pledge and Kim's second is artificial intelligence, signaling how both view it as central to Korea's economic growth. Both propose investing 100 trillion won, or around 71 billion U.S. dollars, into fostering the AI industry but their plans of how they'll use these funds differ. Lee Jae-myung's "AI for All" initiative aims to expand public access by offering free, advanced AI services, including a Korean version of ChatGPT, while also pledging to secure over 50 thousand high-performance GPUs. Kim, plans to set up a public-private fund to foster AI unicorns and vows to train 200-thousand young specialists through graduate programs and software-focused universities. But both agree that Korea's regulations are outdated ---with Lee calling for special exemptions, and Kim pushing to align regulations with global standards. Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok, currently third in the polls, has proposed market-driven AI innovation with minimal state intervention. And another issue that has garnered much attention is each candidate's bid to improve work-life balance. " he (Lee Jae-myung) also focused on a 4-point-5 day workweek that is aimed at reducing worker fatigue and improving their work-life balance, . If you look at Kim Moon-soo's proposal, he believes that with good negotiations between workers and employers, a more flexible situation can be achieved without dramatic changes." Lee has proposed reducing the standard workweek from 40 to 36 hours by cutting Friday afternoons , without reducing wages. Kim's plan, adds an extra hour per day from Monday to Thursday for a shorter Friday without reducing total hours, and includes exemptions to the 52-hour cap for the semiconductor sector. And Lee Jun-seok,.. instead of a 4-point-5-day workweek proposal, has pledged labor reforms that include giving local governments the authority to adjust the minimum wage to revitalize regional economies. Though each candidate's visions differ, their focus on the economy underscores its central role in this election. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

Voter turnout for S. Korea's 21st presidential election at 9.2% as of 9 AM

2025/06/03 10:00

It's just past 10 AM here in South Korea. How many South Korean voters have already cast their ballots since polls opened? We now connect with our Lee Eun-hee at the National Election Commission. Hello there, Eun-hee. Eun-hee, we're still in the early hours of the election day, but how's the turnout looking four hours into the voting? Well Dami, I'm at the National Election Commission in Gwacheon City, where officials are keeping track of the voter turnout. It's been about 4 hours since the polls opened this morning at 6 AM. Turnout at 10 AM is -point-percent, not including figures from early voting. Figures by region are as of 9 AM. So as of 9 AM, Daegu, which had recorded the lowest early voter turnout, is now showing the highest turnout rate at 11-point-5 percent. Jeollanam-do Province, which showed the highest early voter turnout rate is at 6-point-6 percent. The lowest turnout is in Gwangju, with 6-point-3 percent. The capital Seoul is seeing a turnout of 8-point-5 percent. Incheon is at 9-point-3 percent, Busan at 8-point-1 percent and Daejeon stands at 10 percent. Gyeonggi-do Province stands at 9-point-8 percent, while Jeollabuk-do Province is at 6-point-8 percent. In terms of other provinces, turnout in Chungcheongbuk-do is 9-point-8 percent, Chungcheongnam-do 10-point-2 percent, Gyeongsangbuk-do 10-point-9 percent, and Gyeongsangnam-do 9-point-9 percent. In this presidential election, early voting was held last week for two days recording a turnout of slightly over 34-percent, the second highest on record. Eun-hee, so the polls will close at 8 PM tonight. That's when voting counting officially begins. When will the results be known? Yes, Dami. Once the voting ends at 8 PM, the ballot boxes will be sealed and taken to counting centers under police escort. Counting begins soon after and the National Election Commission expects counting to be finished by around 6:00 AM Wednesday morning. The result should become clear by midnight, once 70 to 80 percent of votes are counted. However, final results of course may take longer depending on voter turnout and how close the race is. Once counting is done, the NEC will hold a full committee meeting in which the new president will be formally declared. This meeting is expected to happen between 7 and 9 AM on Wednesday, and the process should only take 5 to 10 minutes. The new president's term will immediately begin. On Monday, Noh Tae-ak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, urged active voter participation, emphasizing the importance of creating a united South Korea through voting. Noh assured the public that the NEC has prioritized transparency, highlighting measures such as 24-hour CCTV at early voting stations and a vote paper inspection system, both implemented in last year's general election. Authorities are focusing on safety management as well. The National Fire Agency has launched special emergency operations at over 15-thousand polling and counting stations nationwide, running until ballot counting ends. Also this morning at 6 AM, police declared the highest level of emergency alert, mobilizing all available personnel. This heightened readiness will continue until the new president's inauguration is complete and he arrives at his office on Wednesday. Around 60-thousand officers are assigned to polling station security, 45-thousand to ballot transport and 7-thousand to counting center protection. That's all I have for now, I'll be back with more updates later. Back to you, Dami. Please do Eun-hee. That was our Lee Eun-hee from the National Election Commission.

Live from a polling station as voting gets underway in S. Korea's presidential election

2025/06/03 08:00

It's voting day here in South Korea. After months of political drama that began with December martial law order which eventually removed former president Yoon Suk Yeol, the people of South Korea head to polling stations two years earlier to pick their 21st president. We go to one of the polling stations with our Ahn Sung-jin standing by. Good morning, Sung-jin. Sung-jin, after weeks of putting up with a deluge of polling and K-pop campaigning, voters finally get their say today? Good morning Dami. I am currently standing in front of a polling location in Sadang-dong, in Seoul's Dongjak-gu District where voting started from 6AM this morning. I was out here since the early hours, and similar to the early voting, we saw people waiting for the polling station to open so they could cast their vote. The election taking place today is the first one since the COVID-19 pandemic. In that previous election, masks were mandatory and regular voters were separated from those that were under isolation. The polling station I'm at is one of 14,295 nationwide and 2,260 from Seoul. We already saw the second-highest voter turnout rate for early voting, and many have gathered to vote early this morning as well. Have a listen to some of the voters. "Our economy is going through a difficult time right now so I hope the new president can boost our economy domestically and internationally and also improve people's livelihoods." "This is my first vote ever, and I'm proud to be participating in it. I would like them to work on making Korea a better country to live in." Sung-jin, for our voters who are yet to cast their ballot, do remind us the voting process and what voters should on the look out for. So voting takes place from 6AM till 8PM, and voters must be 18 or above and bring a government issued ID. Unlike early voting, voters can only cast their ballot based on their registered address. Which polling station they can vote at can be found on a voting guide delivered to each household or through the National Election Commission website. Anyone who arrives at the polls and stands in line before the polls close has the right to vote. Taking selfies or pictures of the ballots, while inside the polling booths is strictly prohibited. That's all I have for now for this glimpse of the polling station in the early hours of today, and I will be back for more later. Back to you Dami. Sung-jin, thank you for the report. We appreciate it.

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