As per reports, the National Election Commission (NEC) announced that overseas voting for South Korea’s 03 June presidential election will commence on Tuesday (20 May), granting around 260,000 registered South Korean voters in 118 countries access to polling stations.
Additionally, polling stations for early in-person voting in South Korea are scheduled to open on Thursday (29 May) and Friday (30 May) from 0600-1800 hours. On Election Day, votes across South Korea will be cast from 0600-2000 hours.
• Out of the 223 overseas polling stations worldwide, 137 will operate daily for the full six-day voting period, from 0800-1700 hours (Korean time) from Tuesday (20 May) through Sunday (25 May). While operating hours may vary at other locations, all polling stations will close by 1700 hours (Korean time) on Sunday (25 May).
• South Koreans in New Zealand and Fiji will be the first to be granted access to overseas polling stations, at 0500 hours (Korean time) on Tuesday (20 May). A polling station in Hawaii will be the last to remain open, until noon (Korean time) on Monday (26 May).
• The polling stations will be established at South Korean diplomatic missions in 182 countries plus an additional 41 makeshift facilities.
• Cuba, Estonia, Lithuania and Luxembourg will have polling stations for South Korean voters for the first time, which means that South Koreans will no longer have to travel to neighboring countries to vote.
• 258,254 people overseas had registered as voters for the election. The number is up by 14.2 percent from the previous presidential election in 2022.
• Those heading to the polling stations must hold a valid ID card with photo identification, according to the NEC. Overseas Koreans who do not hold South Korean citizenship must present a valid visa or permanent resident card.
• The NEC has also stated that those who registered for overseas voting in a foreign country but did not cast a vote there should register themselves again as voters with local election authorities in South Korea if they intend to cast a vote in their home country.
