The National Election Commission announced Monday that overseas voting for South Korea's June 3 presidential election kicks off Tuesday, granting some 260,000 registered South Korean voters in 118 countries access to polling stations.
Of the 223 overseas polling stations worldwide, 137 will operate daily for the full six-day voting period, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. While operating hours may vary at other locations, all polling stations will close by 5 p.m. local time on Sunday.
Given time differences across the world, South Koreans in New Zealand and Fiji will be the first to be granted access to overseas polling stations, at 5 a.m. Tuesday by Korean time. A polling station in Hawaii will be the last to remain open, until noon on May 26, Korean time.
The polling stations will be established at South Korean diplomatic missions in 182 countries plus an additional 41 makeshift facilities.
According to election authorities, Cuba, Estonia, Lithuania and Luxembourg will have polling stations for South Korean voters for the first time, meaning South Koreans there will no longer have to travel to neighboring countries to vote.
Election authorities announced on May 5 that 258,254 people overseas had registered as voters for the June 3 election, up 14.2 percent from the previous presidential election in 2022.
Those heading to the 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.
Ballot voting for Koo Joo-wa, who was the presidential candidate for the Liberty Unification Party but withdrew his candidacy on Sunday, will be deemed invalid, according to the NEC. With Koo's withdrawal, voters will have six candidates to choose from.
The NEC also said 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 -- from May 26 until June 3 -- if they intend to cast a vote in their home country.
The liberal Democratic Party of Korea said in a statement Monday that the party would endeavor to "do its best on the back of overseas voters' enthusiasm," as many overseas voters will drive for hours or fly to their designated polling station for in-person voting. The Democratic Party has nominated as its candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung, who is the current front-runner in the race.
Kim Moon-soo, candidate for the main conservative People Power Party, said in a speech broadcast via KBS Korea on Saturday at 3 a.m. that as president he would work to give more young overseas Koreans greater access to programs to visit Korea and win scholarships, as well as to establish a human network of overseas Koreans and local South Korean governments.
Meanwhile, polling stations for early in-person voting in South Korea are scheduled to open on May 29 and 30 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On Election Day, votes across South Korea will be cast from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
consnow@heraldcorp.com
