Pakistan, May 29 -- South Koreans turned out in record numbers on Thursday to cast their votes early in a high-stakes presidential election, according to the National Election Commission. By 11 a.m., over 3.1 million people-about 7% of the country's 44.39 million eligible voters-had already voted. This is the highest early turnout recorded at this stage in a presidential election, surpassing the 5.38% turnout during the 2022 race.

The snap election, scheduled for June 3, follows months of political instability, including former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to declare martial law. This created a power vacuum, raising public concern and increasing political engagement. Both leading candidates, Lee Jae-myung from the Democratic ...