21st Presidential Election First Day Early Voting Rate 17.51%, Highest Record for Day 1

[Financial News] On the first day of early voting for the 21st presidential election on the 29th, the voter turnout recorded 17.51% as of 5 PM, marking the highest record ever.
The Central Election Management Committee announced that as of 5 PM, 17.51% of the total 44,391,871 eligible voters had voted, which is 1.67%p higher than the first day early voting rate of the 20th presidential election.  
With the early voting rate hitting a record high from the first day, there is a growing possibility that it will surpass the highest early voting rate record of 36.93% from the 20th presidential election. This presidential election's early voting will continue until 6 PM on the 30th.
By region, Jeonnam showed the highest early voting rate at 32.02%, while Daegu recorded the lowest nationwide at 11.95%.
Typically, early voting tends to attract relatively more participation from the younger generation of office workers in their 20s and 30s and the middle-aged in their 40s and 50s. Their support rate is relatively inclined towards progressive parties, resulting in early voting rates being 5~10%p higher than the main voting day for these age groups. On the other hand, voters in their 60s and older, who are a solid support base for conservative parties, tend to focus on voting on the main election day rather than early voting.
Major presidential candidates encouraged their supporters to participate in voting as they went out for early voting on this day.
Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, exercised his voting rights with four young people at the Sinchon-dong Community Center in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, while Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, went to the Gyeongyang 1-dong Community Center in Incheon with his daughter Kim Dong-joo to vote early. Lee Jun-seok, the Reform Party presidential candidate, voted at the early voting station set up at the Dongtan 9-dong Administrative Welfare Center in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do.

hjkim01@fnnews.com Kim Hak-jae Reporter