South Korea is voting for a new parliament, in what is widely seen as a midterm referendum on its President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration.

Mr Yoon still has three years left in office but his People Power Party (PPP) has struggled with political gridlock in a legislature dominated by the opposition Democratic Party.

So it will be hoping to win a majority in the 300-seat parliament.

He is facing pressure to tackle a host of urgent issues from rising food prices, a rapidly aging population and an ongoing doctor’s strike.

If Mr Yoon’s party fails, he could leave office with little to show for his time, other than his foreign policy achievements.

The president, whose approval ratings have been falling for months, has also weathered a series of political scandals since he was elected in March 2022.

A hot mic caught him swearing in September that year after a meeting with US President Joe Biden in New York. His wife Kim Keon Hee has been embroiled in a controversy for allegedly accepting a luxury bag gift.

Just last month, Mr Yoon drew criticism for being out of touch with the cost-of-living crisis during his visit to a grocery store in Seoul. He commented that a bundle of green onions priced at 875 won ($0.65) was “reasonable” without realising that the item was temporarily discounted due to subsidies.

The usual retail price would have been between 3,000 won and 4,000 won.

The incident sparked a backlash, with farmers organising sit-in protests with bundles of green onions. The vegetable has also started appearing at the opposition Democratic Party’s election rallies.

Voters will cast one ballot for their representatives in the National Assembly, which has a total of 254 seats. They will also vote for a political party, which will decide the share of the remaining 46 proportional representation seats.

Seoul accounts for 48 of the 300 seats up for grabs. The Democratic Party took 41 in the 2020 parliamentary elections.

The polls will close at 18:00 local time (09:00 GMT).