It marked a sharp increase from 50.9 percent in the previous local elections in 2022 and was the highest turnout in any local elections since 1995, when it reached a record 68.4 percent.
A total of 27.25 million voters cast ballots out of 44.65 million eligible voters including those who participated in two-day early voting last week and absentee voting.
Early voting held last Friday and Saturday also saw a record turnout of 23.51 percent.
Contrary to South Jeolla Province's highest turnout, the traditional stronghold of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), the southwestern city of Gwangju in the same region recorded the lowest turnout at 54.3 percent, followed by Jeju at 56.4 percent, Incheon at 58.2 percent, and Gyeonggi Province at 58.4 percent.
Seoul recorded a turnout of 63.6 percent, well above the national average.
Election officials said the final count could take longer than usual to be finalized after ballot shortages caused voting delays in parts of southern Seoul including districts such as Gangnam, Gwangjin, and Songpa.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
