SEOUL-- Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and main opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol converged on Seoul in the homestretch of their campaigns Sunday.
With the election three days away, Lee of the liberal Democratic Party crisscrossed the capital for campaign rallies in the districts of Dobong, Seongbuk, Eunpyeong, Seodaemun, Gwanak and Yongsan.
During a campaign rally, Lee sought to woo voters with promises of real estate policy reform, including lowering barriers for loans and cutting related taxes.
Yoon of the conservative People Power Party, meanwhile, started the day in Seoul's eastern district of Gangdong before stumping through central Jung Ward and several cities surrounding Seoul, including Uijeongbu, Dongducheon, Paju and Goyang.
Following campaign stops in Gimpo and Bucheon, Yoon ended his day at a rally in Seoul's Geumcheon Ward in the evening.
During a rally on Sunday, Yoon accused the current administration of falling short of defining Pyongyang's recent missile launches as provocations, claiming North Korea has been making such moves under the belief that they benefit the current administration by unnerving South Koreans.
The greater Seoul area is home to half of the country's population of 52 million, making it a crucial battleground in the election.
Many of the areas Yoon visited on Sunday are considered PPP weak spots where the party lost during the last parliamentary elections.
Two-day early voting ended Saturday with a record turnout of 36.93 percent, reflecting high voter interest in what is expected to be one of the closest presidential races in history.
Polls conducted before Thursday showed Lee and Yoon competing within the margin of error at around 40 percent support each. By law, polls conducted within six days of the election cannot be published until after voting closes.
Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party, who withdrew from the race Thursday to support Yoon, showed a united front as he joined Yoon on the campaign trail for the first time Saturday.
On Sunday, Ahn participated in a rally in Daegu, 302 kilometers south of Seoul, highlighting the need for a "change of government" through the election.
Ahn also lashed out at the current government for policies related to jobs, COVID-19 responses, and diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Sim Sang-jeung, a lawmaker and presidential candidate of the minor progressive Justice Party, attended Mass in her constituency of Goyang before canvassing neighborhoods in Seoul, including Itaewon and Gangnam.
Source: Yonhap News Agency