Seoul: Official campaigning for the June 3 presidential election will begin this week with the close of candidate registration on Sunday. The 22-day campaign period will kick off Monday, allowing candidates and their campaign teams to give speeches in public places between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., distribute leaflets and other campaign materials, and put up campaign banners.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the election, triggered by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid in December, has shaped up to be a contest between Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) and Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP). Kim's candidacy was confirmed only Saturday following intraparty strife over which of two people -- Kim or former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo -- would be better suited to defeat Lee, who has maintained a wide lead in favorability polls.
Lee's plan is to consolidate that lead by wooing swing voters with promises to improve the economy and people's livelihoods, and promote national unity. Kim, meanwhile, is set to adopt the conservatives' strategy of building a broad "big tent" coalition to counter Lee. The success of that strategy is likely to hinge on whether he can win the support of former Prime Minister Han, Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate of the minor New Reform Party, and other political heavyweights.
The DP's Lee will launch his campaign at Cheonggye Plaza near Seoul's Gwanghwamun on Monday before traveling to the suburban cities of Seongnam and Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province, and then the central city of Daejeon, according to his party. In the three cities, which form the so-called K-Initiative Belt, Lee plans to meet with innovative industry workers and campaign on the themes of semiconductors, and science and technology.
The PPP's Kim will kick off his campaign at Garak Market in Seoul's eastern Songpa Ward in a likely bid to show his commitment to tackling people's livelihood issues. Later Monday, he plans to visit the national cemetery in Daejeon and Seomun Market in the southeastern city of Daegu, a conservative stronghold.
On his first stop of the campaign trail, Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party will visit a national industrial complex in the southern city of Yeosu at the stroke of midnight. He will then travel to Seoul to meet with students at Yonsei University before wrapping up the day at Cheonggye Plaza.
The National Election Commission, the state election watchdog, said a total of seven people registered their candidacies. The DP's Lee was assigned candidate No. 1, followed by No. 2 for Kim and No. 4 for Lee Jun-seok. By law, candidate numbers are assigned in order of the number of seats a party holds in the National Assembly, starting with the party with the most seats. No. 3 was left blank as the Rebuilding Korea Party did not field a candidate, while No.'s 5-8 were given to two minor party candidates and two independents.