Seoul: South Korean nationals residing abroad began casting their votes on Tuesday to elect a new president, as overseas voting started in advance of the June 3 election, according to embassy officials. The process is set to continue for six days, with over 258,000 eligible South Korean voters, including absentee voters, participating at 223 polling stations across 118 countries.

According to Yonhap News Agency, in the United States, specifically in Washington D.C. and three neighboring states, 4,272 South Korean voters registered to vote at a station in Annandale, Virginia. During the previous presidential election in 2022, 2,994 out of 4,254 registered voters in this region cast their ballots. South Korean Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong emphasized the importance of overseas voting as a means for expatriates to influence government policy. He encouraged U.S.-based citizens to participate and expressed optimism about the sustained strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance under the new government.

In Japan, the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo reported that 38,000 out of 411,000 eligible voters registered to vote. Polling stations have been established in major cities, including Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka, among others. South Korea’s Ambassador to Japan, Park Cheol-hee, highlighted the significance of overseas voting for Korea’s progress and encouraged participation despite busy schedules.

In China, ten polling stations have been set up, including locations in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. An embassy official in Beijing noted that 250 out of 4,218 registered voters cast their ballots on the first day. The South Korean Embassy in Wellington reported that the first voter in the overseas election was a university student in New Zealand.