South Korea Local Elections

South Korean voters went to the polls to elect local leaders, council members, and education chiefs, as well as 14 lawmakers in parliamentary by-elections.

Voter turnout reached 51.9% by 3 p.m., surpassing the previous local elections in 2022.

The elections, the first nationwide votes since the 2025 presidential election, saw a diverse range of voters, including a 110-year-old woman.

However, some crowded superintendent races left voters with few clear choices, raising doubts about the current direct-election system's effectiveness in choosing education leaders based on policy.