South Koreans went to the polls on Wednesday in nationwide local elections widely viewed as the first major test of President Lee Jae Myung's administration, which took office in June 2025 following the removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over a failed martial law decree. Voters chose from among candidates for 16 mayoral and gubernatorial posts, 227 local government heads, roughly 4,000 council seats, 16 education superintendent positions, and 14 parliamentary seats in simultaneous by-elections. Early voting turnout reached a record 23.51 percent ahead of polling day, with overall participation expected to surpass 60 percent, though observers noted that the high turnout reflected deepening national polarisation rather than engagement with local issues, as both the ruling Democratic Party and the opposition People Power Party framed the contest in sweeping national terms rather than municipal policy.