S. Korea raises terror alert ahead of local elections

South Korea on Wednesday raised its national terror alert level ahead of next month’s local elections, as authorities moved to strengthen security measures and prevent possible threats targeting candidates and campaign events, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu.

The government announced that the nationwide alert level will be elevated from “attention” to “caution,” which is the second-lowest level in the country’s four-tier terror warning system.

The measure will be in effect from Thursday through June 4.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination said the decision is intended to reinforce counterterrorism efforts and ensure the safe conduct of the June 3 local elections. In these elections, voters will choose provincial governors, mayors, and local councilors across the country.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok also pledged a strict crackdown on election-related crimes, including disinformation, vote-buying, and interference by public officials.

“We will deal sternly and swiftly with three major election crimes,” Kim said during a government meeting on election fairness. He also warned about the increasing threat posed by AI-generated deepfake content during election campaigns.

According to the National Election Commission, official campaigning for the local elections and parliamentary by-elections will begin on Thursday and continue for 13 days.

More than 7,800 candidates have registered to compete for thousands of positions nationwide, while 14 parliamentary seats are also being contested in by-elections that are attracting national attention.

A total of 513 candidates have already been elected unopposed after running without any challengers in their respective constituencies.

One of the most closely watched contests is in Busan’s Buk-A constituency, where former ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon is running as an independent candidate against opponents from both liberal and conservative camps.

The elections are widely regarded as the first major nationwide political test for President Lee Jae Myung since he assumed office in June 2025 following a snap presidential election triggered by the impeachment of former president Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed declaration of martial law.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev