Voter Turnout High on Presidential Election Day in Seoul

On June 3, 2025, the day of the 21st presidential election, long lines of voters formed at 2,260 polling stations across Seoul as citizens exercised their right to vote. Designated as a temporary holiday, many families were seen heading to the polls together.

At the Cheongun-Hyoja-dong No. 3 polling station in Jongno-gu, a diverse range of voters from their 20s to 90s cast their ballots. Kim Da-hye (36), who visited the polling station with her 7-year-old daughter and a newborn in a carrier, expressed her excitement, saying, "This is the first time I voted with my children. I wanted to show them the voting process and hoped to elect someone who can help children."

Jo Mo (50), who came with her husband and second-grade son, shared, "After following the news since the martial law era, my child became interested in voting, so I brought him along. I thought it was important for him to see what a polling place looks like and how voting works."

Jeong Ho-seon (68) brought his son, daughter-in-law, and three-year-old granddaughter to the polling station at the Jang-an Village Senior Center in Seocho-gu. He stated, "I voted for a prosperous and safe future for the next generation. I hope the government focuses on work rather than conflict, regardless of who wins."

Imo (42), who came with her husband, remarked, "In recent years, political factions have been fighting, and it seems like the government isn't functioning properly. I hope a candidate focused on the future wins this time."

Park Mo (44), who brought his eight-year-old son, explained the significance of voting to his child, saying, "I told him it’s an opportunity and a way to change the world. He may not fully understand yet, but I encouraged him to remember this day as he grows."

At the polling station in Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, many voters in their 20s and 30s were present. Go Da-yeon (20), a freshman at Ewha Womans University, expressed her excitement about voting for the first time, stating, "I’ve been researching candidates and their pledges at home. I wanted to be prepared."

Graduate student Jeong Hong-ki (27) mentioned, "I want to vote for someone who has concrete policies for the youth." Meanwhile, office worker Jeong Se-young (32) shared, "I usually didn’t care about politics, but this time I felt the need to vote, so I came out for the first time in ten years."

Kim Ji-ye (29) expressed disappointment over the lack of active competition among candidates for youth policies in this election, saying, "I came to the polling station after contemplating who would focus on good jobs and youth policies."

In terms of security, police deployed 28,590 officers across 14,295 polling stations nationwide, with two officers assigned to each location. After voting concluded, around 29,000 police officers would assist in transporting ballot boxes alongside the election commission. Additionally, 7,600 officers were stationed at 254 counting centers across the country.