Record-High Early Voting Turnout: Democratic and Labor Parties Call It "Judgment on Insurrection," Reform Party Says "Disappointment Votes Against Lee"

Record-High Early Voting Turnout on First Day at 19.58%
Parties Interpret Surge as "Judgment on Insurrection" or "Disappointment Votes Against Lee Jae Myung"

The Democratic Party and the Democratic Labor Party described the record-high early voting turnout of 19.58% on the first day?the highest ever for a nationwide election?as a "judgment on insurrection," while the Reform Party interpreted it as "disappointment votes against Lee Jae Myung."

On the 30th, the last day of early voting for the 21st presidential election, voters visited the early voting station located in Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, near Yonsei University and Ewha Womans University to cast their ballots. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

Park Chan Dae, the Democratic Party's chief campaign manager, stated at a campaign committee meeting held at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 30th, "The early voting turnout on the first day was the highest on record. This is a result created by the earnest desire and will of the people who wish for the end of insurrection and the normalization of the Republic of Korea." He added, "Through participation in early voting, please help bring about the end of insurrection, the recovery of people's livelihoods, economic growth, and national unity. Voting is stronger than guns and swords?when you vote, the people win."

Yoon Yeo Joon, another chief campaign manager of the Democratic Party, said, "Despite their claims that there is election fraud in early voting, early voting has now firmly taken root as an institution," and added, "We will remain even more humble and focus solely on the desire of the people for a change in government."

Kwon Young Guk, the Democratic Labor Party's presidential candidate, wrote on Facebook the previous day, "A total of 8,691,711 people participated in voting. This is the result of citizens heading to the polls with a desire to overcome insurrection and move toward a major social transformation." He emphasized, "I believe this proves that the aspiration to overturn inequality and create a nation without discrimination is not mistaken."

In contrast, Lee Jun Seok, the Reform Party candidate, offered an interpretation favorable to himself. Meeting with reporters the previous day, Lee commented on the higher early voting turnout compared to the last presidential election, saying, "It seems that voters want to quickly put an end to the six months of turmoil in the Republic of Korea." He continued, "I believe there are more future-oriented voters in this election, and I expect my support rate to rise further. Above all, when watching Lee Jae Myung give superficial answers and try to lecture me for being young during the TV debates, I think young voters must have been disappointed."