Official campaign for presidential election kicks off

Photos of presidential candidates and other relevant information are displayed at the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province on May 12, 2025. Yonhap

SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - The official campaign for the upcoming presidential election began on Monday and will last for about three weeks until June 3, the election day.

The 22-day campaign period began at the stroke of midnight, with presidential candidates and their supporters spreading out across the country to win the hearts of voters.

The snap election comes after the Constitutional Court of Korea's ruling early last month to impeach disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law debacle late last year.

Former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, who eventually secured the presidential nomination of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) amid fierce internal disputes that lasted until last Sunday, the final deadline for candidate registration, launched his campaign at a market in Songpa, southern Seoul to show his commitment to prioritizing people's livelihoods.

Kim then heads to a cemetery in Daejeon to pay tribute to the victims of a series of naval skirmishes with North Korea in the West Sea. Later in the day, he is set to visit a market in his conservative stronghold of Daegu, in a bid to shore up political support.

The staunch conservative is expected to face an uphill battle against front-runner Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the main opposition Democratic Party, who remains far ahead of other candidates in most opinion polls, after clearing some legal risks that could have hindered his chances in the presidential race.

Lee Jae-myung the presidential nominee of the main opposition Democratic Party DP poses during a campaign in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on May 12 2025 Yonhap — Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) poses during a campaign in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on May 12, 2025. Yonhap

Lee kicked off his campaign in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, as a symbolic gesture to highlight citizens' efforts to end Yoon's abrupt Dec. 3 declaration of martial law and protect democracy.

Lee then visits Seongnam on the outskirts of Seoul, where he began his political career as well as nearby areas including Pangyo, Hwaseong, and Dongtan in Gyeonggi Province, where he is expected to deliver speeches on science and advanced technologies including semiconductors.

Lee Jun-seok the presidential nominee of the minor centrist New Reform Party speaks to reporters at a plant in Yeosu South Jeolla Province on May 12 2025 Yonhap — Lee Jun-seok, the presidential nominee of the minor centrist New Reform Party, speaks to reporters at a plant in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province on May 12, 2025. Yonhap

Meanwhile, Lee Jun-seok, the leader and presidential nominee of the minor centrist New Reform Party, began his campaign with a visit to an industrial complex in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, emphasizing his pledges to drive another major leap in the export-dependent country's economy.

He then returned to Seoul to present his presidential vision at the National Assembly in the morning. Later in the day, he is set to meet with students at Yonsei University and engage with voters on the streets, including areas such as Gwanghwamun and Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

Official campaign for presidential election kicks off

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