= Early voting to be stored until election day under 24-hour CCTV monitoring =

The National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea announced that 11,742,677 out of 43,994,247 eligible voters participated in the early voting for the 21st National Assembly elections held on April 10 and 11, marking a highest turnout of 26.69 percent.

The turnout was 0.63 percent points higher than the 26.06 percent early voting turnout set during the 19th presidential election, which had previously held the highest early voting turnout on record, and 14.5 percent points higher than the 12.19 percent early voting turnout recorded during the 20th National Assembly elections.

Historical Early Voting Turnout

By Si/Do, South Jeolla province had the highest turnout with 35.77 percent, while Daegu Metropolitan City had the lowest turnout with 23.56 percent.

The number of ballots cast at Seoul Station (7,525), Yongsan Station (7,807), and Incheon International Airport (5,263 at Terminal 1 and 2,919 at Terminal 2) was higher than the average of 3,347 ballots cast at early voting stations nationwide.

2,724,735 voters cast their ballots outside their registered district, which was 23.2 percent of the total number of early voting voters, while a total of 446 voters cast their ballot at special early voting stations set up at eight life treatment centers in Seoul metropolitan city, Gyeonggi province, Deagu metropolitan city and North Gyeongsang provinces. 

In addition, the NEC said that now early voting is completed, ballot boxes containing only ballots papers (those cast be voters inside their registered district) will be kept in separate storage facilities inside the relevant Gu/Si/Gun election commissions with CCTV installed 

The CCTV used is equipped with video encryption and anti-fabrication technology to ensure the transparency and integrity of storage and management. Also, the NEC monitors storage 24 hours a day at the Integrated Control Center in the Election Situation Room at the NEC main office. 

Every day ballots sent by post cast by voters outside their registered district and by home voters shall be received and put into mail voting ballot boxes and stored in controlled area at the relevant Gu/Si/Gun election commissions in the presence of observers recommended by political parties.   

Ballot boxes will be transferred to counting stations on election day after the close of voting at 6pm together with counting observers, election commissioners recommended by political parties and police. 

The NEC said it will actively encourage participation in voting so that the high enthusiasm shown during early voting will continue on election day, adding that the 17 Si/Do election commissions will hold relay performances on April 13 to promote participation in voting.