Final Overseas Voting Rate 62.8%... 'Record Highest Turnout and Most Votes Ever' (Comprehensive)

147,989 Applicants with 92,923 Voters Participating

The overseas voting for the 22nd National Assembly election recorded both the highest voter turnout and the largest number of votes in the history of general elections.

According to the National Election Commission on the 2nd, out of 147,989 applicants for overseas voting, 92,923 people cast their votes. The provisional turnout rate is 62.8%. Previously, on the 5th day of voting, the overseas voting turnout had already reached 56.0%, setting a new record for the highest turnout.

This overseas voting took place over six days from the 27th of last month until yesterday, at 220 overseas polling stations in 115 countries worldwide.

On the 11th, the day of the by-election for the Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, voters are casting their ballots at the 9th polling station in Banghwa 1-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

An official explained, "Overseas voting varies depending on the number of registered voters, but this time not only is the turnout rate high, the number of voters is also the highest."

In the 21st general election, 40,858 out of 171,959 registered voters participated, recording a turnout of 23.8%. In the 20th general election, 63,797 out of 154,217 registered voters participated, recording 41.4%. In the 19th general election, 56,456 out of 123,571 registered voters voted, with a turnout rate of 45.7%.

Overseas voting is a system that allows Korean nationals residing or staying abroad to participate in voting overseas. Voters wishing to vote abroad must go through the procedures of ‘overseas voter registration application’ or ‘overseas absentee voter notification.’ The high turnout rate and record number of votes this time are interpreted as reflecting strong interest in this general election.

Typically, general election turnout rates have been lower than presidential election turnout rates, so how high the turnout would be this time was also a point of interest. The overseas voting turnout rates in past presidential elections were 71.1% for the 18th, 75.3% for the 19th, and 71.6% for the 20th presidential elections.

The National Election Commission explained, "Overseas ballots are sent to Korea via diplomatic pouches," adding, "At Incheon Airport, observers recommended by the political parties forming the National Assembly negotiation groups verify the overseas ballot counts (return envelopes in diplomatic pouches) in attendance, and then the ballots are sent by registered mail to the relevant district, city, or county election commissions to be counted together with domestic votes on Wednesday, April 10."