Ruling Democratic Party dominates early vote counting in S. Korea's local elections SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - Early vote counting for the June 3 local elections shows the ruling Democratic Party taking the lead in 14 of 16 metropolitan and provincial races, including the Seoul mayoral election. The conservative People Power Party is leading in only one region, North Gyeongsang Province. If the current trend continues, the elections will end in a sweeping victory for the Democratic Party. The early results suggest that voters in the first nationwide elections sinc June 3, 2026

Former justice minister Choo Mi-ae to become first female provincial governor in South Korea SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - The Ruling Democratic Party candidate and former justice minister Choo Mi-ae is certain to win the Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial race, making her the first woman to head a metropolitan or provincial government in South Korean history. According to the National Election Commission on Wednesday, Choo is projected to defeat People Power Party candidate Yang Hyang-ja in the June 3 local elections. The six-term lawmaker maintained a wide lead over Yang throughout June 3, 2026

Counting begins as South Korea's local elections draw to a close SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - Vote counting for the 9th National Simultaneous Local Elections got underway at approximately 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday at polling centers across the country, including the Gwanak-gu Election Commission counting station set up at Seoul National University gymnasium in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. The final voter turnout stood at 60.9 percent, based on figures tallied as of 6 p.m. Exit polls conducted jointly by KBS, MBC, and SBS projected the Democratic Party winning 11 o June 3, 2026

National Election Commission apologizes for ballot shortage SEOUL, June 3 (AJP) - Heo Chul-hoon, secretary-general of South Korea's National Election Commission, issued a public apology on Wednesday evening after several polling stations ran out of ballot papers during local elections. Speaking at the commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Heo said he takes full responsibility for the oversight. He said the commission deeply apologizes for causing great confusion and concern, acknowledging that the incident inconvenience June 3, 2026

Ruling party leads in South Korean local election exit polls SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) -South Korea's ruling Democratic Party of Korea holds a strong lead in 11 out of 16 metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial races, according to joint election-day exit polls released Wednesday. The projected outcomes position the party to expand its local administrative power as President Lee Jae-myung enters the second year of his term. The nationwide vote serves as the first major electoral test for the Lee Jae Myung administration, a critical midterm ref June 3, 2026

Voting continues despite fire in polling station building SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - A fire broke out in the underground parking garage of the Sangdo 4-dong Community Complex in southwestern Seoul, at around 3:30 p.m. (0630 GMT) on Wednesday, election day. The blaze was extinguished in approximately five minutes and no injuries were reported. According to police, a citizen attempted to fight the fire using an extinguisher kept in his vehicle. Despite the noisy fire alarm, voting at the polling station on the third floor continued without June 3, 2026

WNMC 26: AI reshapes how news is experienced, not just made, media leaders say in Marseille MARSEILLE, June 03 (AJP) - Artificial intelligence is no longer merely changing how journalism is produced but is rewiring how audiences encounter the news itself, a panel of global media leaders said at the World News Media Congress. South Korea's AJP, an AI-native news agency built for that shift, took its place alongside publishers from India and Germany to argue that the technology is dissolving the old path of search, click and read, replacing it with content that anticipa June 3, 2026

Nikkei storms past 68,000 to record as chip-equipment makers lead AI rotation; Shanghai flat SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - Japan's Nikkei 225 stormed past 68,000 for the first time in its history on Wednesday, closing up about 2.5 percent at around 68,400, as a fresh leg of the global AI trade reignited by record highs on Wall Street rotated decisively into the semiconductor equipment makers. With South Korea's markets closed for the national election, Tokyo carried the regional session while China's Shanghai Composite finished essentially flat at around 4,077. The det June 3, 2026

Opposition leader slams South Korean president on election day SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - South Korea's main opposition leader Jang Dong-hyeok launched a sharp election-day attack against President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday, accusing him of illegal campaigning and severe economic mismanagement. Speaking during a final election committee meeting at the National Assembly, the conservative leader urged voters to cast their ballots as an act of constitutional self-defense against the government. The address underscored the bitter polarization su June 3, 2026

Ruling party leader urges voter turnout citing historical one-vote margins SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - The ruling Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae urged citizens on Wednesday to participate in the nationwide local elections, emphasizing that a single ballot carries the weight of South Korea's democratic history and can directly determine narrow races. Speaking at a central election committee meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Jung highlighted the statistical reality of close contests to combat voter apathy. He noted that the past si June 3, 2026