Voter turnout for the local elections as of 1 p.m. Wednesday stood at 38-point-three percent, according to the National Election Commission. 

The current participation rate combines early voting, during which 20-point-62 percent of the South Korean electorate cast their votes last Friday and Saturday.
 
This means out of some 44-point-three million eligible voters, a little less than 17 million have cast their ballots so far. 

The 38-point-three percent turnout thus far is five-point-two percentage points lower than the corresponding time in the 2018 local elections, which had ended with a fresh high. 

By region, South Jeolla Province had the highest turnout of 48-point-one percent, with Gangwon and North Gyeongsang Provinces also posting over 40 percent. Seoul's turnout stood at 38-point-five percent.

For the parliamentary by-elections, in which seven posts are up for grabs, voter turnout stood at 41-point-eight percent nationwide. 

The general public will be able to vote until 6 p.m. COVID-19 patients and those under quarantine will cast their votes between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.