Celebrities encourage voting with post-vote snaps, ballot stamps

From globally famous K-pop idols to film and television stars, South Korean celebrities exercised their rights to vote Wednesday and shared photos on social media of ballot hand stamps and post-vote selfies, hoping to get fans to fulfill their civic duties. Though their messages may have been the same, the celebrities took different styles of pictures to share their voting experience. TV personality Jun Hyun-moo, actor Yoon Eun-hye, singer Kim Jung-min and the bassist of band Crying Nut Han Ky

March 9, 2022

[Election 2022] Voters with COVID-19 to begin voting

Polls closed for regular voters around the country at 6 p.m. Now it’s time for those who have contracted COVID-19 or are under home quarantine to cast their ballots to elect the next president of South Korea. The National Election Commission plans to wrap up this special voting process at 7:30 p.m., but it may take longer, depending on how many of the 1.16 million COVID-19 patients and self-isolators show up. During the March 4 and 5 early voting period, the election regulator came und

March 9, 2022

[Election 2022] When will we know the winner?

When will the winner of today’s presidential election become clear? Probably around 1 a.m. Thursday, according to the National Election Commission on Wednesday. At 7:30 p.m., which is when polls will close nationwide, exit poll results will be released by major broadcasters. According to the Korean Broadcasters Association Wednesday, MBC, KBS and SBS will announce the results of their joint survey at 7:30 p.m., based on interviews with voters who cast their ballots between 6 a.m. and

March 9, 2022

[Election 2022] What foreign media has said about election

“Squid Game”-like, "unlikable" and “the nastiest” in recent history are some of the phrases that foreign media outlets have used to describe South Korea’s presidential showdown.  Following is a compilation of quotes from major news outlets.  “Shamans, Hitler and mutual hatred: South Koreans go to polls in rancorous election” -- The Guardian  “Both candidates’ disapproval ratings matched their popularity as scandals

March 9, 2022

President-elect to receive presidential security services immediately upon victory

The winner of the 20th presidential election, expected to be announced early Thursday, will be provided with the same protective security and escort services as the incumbent president immediately upon victory. According to the Presidential Security Service on Wednesday, the office has already assembled a team to provide protection for the president-elect, his or her spouse and directly related family members. The team will be tasked with providing escort and security services for the presiden

March 9, 2022

Raising birth rates, balanced regional growth on urgent agenda for new administration

The winner of the presidential election, like many of his predecessors, will immediately face the uniquely South Korean problem of population decline and its potential to wreak further havoc on growth in regions outside the capital. South Korea's total fertility rate hit 0.81 births per woman last year, down from 0.84 a year earlier, according to Statistics Korea last month. It marked the lowest figure since 1970 when the agency started collecting related data, and is the lowest rate recorded a

March 9, 2022

Lee Jun-seok says women are less likely to vote than men

Lee Jun-seok, chairman of the People Power Party, continued fanning the “gender war,” claiming women are less likely to vote than men. “Some surveys show women have less intention to vote compared to men. They may show systemized movements online, but it is difficult to say that (the movements) lead to actual voting,” Lee said on a radio show Monday. When asked about his party’s candidate Yoon Suk-yeol’s vow to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and F

March 9, 2022

[Newsmaker] [Voters &] 18-year-olds cast historic first vote

Kim Ji-su, who turned 18 in January, cast her first ballot in a presidential election on Wednesday with a sense of excitement. “Adults think we are too young (to vote), but we are also citizens of this country. I am glad that I can vote to choose the president who will lead the country for the next five years,” Kim, a senior at Munjeong High School in Seoul, told The Korea Herald. This year’s presidential election marked a milestone in Korean politics, as the first time in

March 9, 2022

[From the Scene] Voters hope for change in post-COVID-19 era

Even before the darkness of dawn had faded away, voters trickled into polling stations Wednesday to elect their next president, with a strong desire for a new leader who can spearhead political and economic reforms and stabilize a society hit by an unprecedented pandemic. In this year’s presidential election, 14,464 polling stations opened across the country to run from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The hours were extended from the usual 6 p.m. this year for COVID-19 patients and those in quarant

March 9, 2022

[Live updates: Election 2022] Yoon Suk-yeol wins

The coverage on this blog has ended. For more updates, results and news on South Korea’s presidential election, visit www.koreaherald.co.kr. -- Ed. Yoon Suk-yeol elected president of S. Korea Yoon Suk-yeol, a former chief prosecutor and political neophyte, was elected the next leader of South Korea on Thursday in one of the closest presidential elections in the country’s history. With all the votes counted, the conservative candidate garnered 48.6 percent, against 47.8 percent of

March 9, 2022

[Election 2022] Voters flock to polling stations despite record virus cases

Election Day has arrived in South Korea, along with a sharp spike in the daily virus tally. Amid reports of 342,446 new coronavirus cases in South Korea, voters across the country flocked to their local polling stations starting as early as 6 a.m. to elect the next leader of the country. Long lines snaked out the doors at schools and community centers, reflecting voters’ eagerness to have their voices heard. Seongbuk Child and Youth Center in northern Seoul had more than 20 people in l

March 9, 2022

[Election 2022] What Lee, Yoon said on Election Day

Today’s election is a showdown between Lee Jae-myung and Yoon Suk-yeol, who each represent the country’s liberal and conservative political forces. Here’s what the two candidates said on Facebook early Wednesday, as polls opened nationwide to elect the next president of South Korea.  Lee Jae-myung of Democratic Party of Korea said: “There’s only one day left. The election result is going to be neck and neck. The outcome can be determined by only thousands

March 9, 2022

Voter turnout at 68.1% as of 3 p.m.

Voter turnout for South Korea's presidential election stood at 68.1 percent as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, as more than 30 million people participated in the polls, according to the country's election authorities. Out of the total 44.2 million eligible voters nationwide, 30.1 million, or 68.1 percent, have cast their ballots at 14,464 polling stations since the voting started at 6 a.m., the National Election Commission (NEC) said. The preliminary tally, which included the results of the two-day early

March 9, 2022

[Election 2022] How to ‘correctly’ show off your support

With South Korea’s presidential election underway, so has a parade of citizens posting photos of themselves voting. Posting what are commonly known as “proof shots” on social media is popular among Koreans, but doing it without discretion during an election can cause legal problems. K-pop star Kim Jae-joong on Saturday became the center of controversy after he posted a photo of his ballot in a voting booth, as did fellow singer K-will. Both deleted the posts hours later, an

March 9, 2022

[Graphic News] Political donations to lawmakers down 24% in 2021: data

　Political donations to lawmakers last year declined 24.3 percent from a year earlier, data from the state’s election watchdog showed.  　Financial contributions to lawmakers reached 40.7 billion won ($33.8 million) last year, down from 53.8 billion won in 2020, when the April 15 parliamentary elections were held, according to the National Election Commission. 　Lawmakers on average received 135.2 million won in donations last year, down from 179.4 million won in 2020.  　By par

March 9, 2022

S. Koreans vote for new president

South Koreans voted Wednesday to pick a new president after a tightly contested race between ruling party candidate Lee Jae-myung promising improved livelihoods and his main opposition rival Yoon Suk-yeol championing a fairer society. Six hours after the polls opened at 6 a.m., election officials reported an average voter turnout of 20.3 percent nationwide, lower than the 24.5 percent reported at the same time in the previous presidential election in 2017. Voter interest is unprecedentedly kee

March 9, 2022

[Election 2022] 27 cm long with 14 names printed on it, your ballot is worth millions

As Koreans head to the polls to elect their next president, here’s a quick look at the vote by key numbers. 14: Number of names printed on the ballot paper Although the race has come down to dead heat between the two frontrunners, representing the main parties of the left and right wings, it started off with 14 candidates registered. Two dropped out, leaving 12 still running. 27: Length of the ballot paper in centimeters A single ballot is about 27 centimeters long, listing the 14 can

March 9, 2022

[Election 2022] Between Lee and Yoon, who will come out as president?

Polls opened across South Korea at 6 a.m. Wednesday in a presidential election that many voters described as a contest of who’s the least worst. Average voter turnout for 9 a.m was reported to be 8.1 percent nationwide, slightly lower than the 9.4 percent at the same time in the previous presidential election in 2017. Lee Jae-myung of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea is vying against Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative opposition People Power Party in a neck-and-neck race. Exi

March 9, 2022

Main opposition predicts landslide win, ruling bloc maintains hope for tight victory

In the final hours of their campaigns for this year’s presidential election, the ruling and opposition blocs each predicted victory for their side as they ramped up last-minute campaigning on Tuesday. With the election law prohibiting publication of all public surveys from six days before the election, the two frontrunners in the race -- Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party -- stayed on their toes. On Tuesday, P

March 8, 2022

Lee, Yoon make final campaign pitches in Seoul

The election campaigns for the presidential election wrapped up Tuesday, with candidates each promising a brighter future for Korea. While the front-runners spent the last day of campaigns claiming to be the right choice for the nation’s future, their campaigns have been marred with scandals and accusations, which all but buried pledges and policy initiatives. On Tuesday, all major candidates marked an end to their campaign journeys in central and symbolic areas of Seoul, having spent

March 8, 2022