South Korean voters turned out in strong numbers during the two-day early voting period ahead of nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3, with more than 6.86 million people — roughly 15.38 percent of the 44.6 million registered voters — casting ballots by mid-morning on the final early voting day, surpassing the 13.65 percent recorded at the same point in the 2022 cycle. The elections will determine 16 mayoral and gubernatorial posts, including the mayors of Seoul and Busan, as well as hundreds of local government heads and thousands of council seats. The vote is widely seen as the first significant electoral test for President Lee Jae-myung's ruling Democratic Party since it came to power last year following the ousting of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived martial law declaration, with polling suggesting competitive races in several regions including Seoul, Busan, and the traditionally conservative city of Daegu.