SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - With just two weeks left until South Korea’s snap presidential election on Jun. 3, Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo are stepping up their campaigns in the capital region on Tuesday, each appealing to core and swing voters with contrasting schedules.
The election was called after former president Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and removed from office for abuse of power. On Dec. 3 last year, Yoon declared martial law, citing threats from “North Korean communist forces” and “anti-state elements.” The Constitutional Court ruled on Apr. 4 that the action violated the Constitution, prompting an early vote to select his successor.
Lee will begin the day by holding virtual meetings with South Koreans living overseas to encourage participation in absentee voting, which opened this week. The former human rights lawyer is scheduled to visit Seoul’s satellite cities -- Uijeongbu, Goyang, Gimpo, and Paju -- in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, regions considered crucial in shaping the outcome of the race. On Wednesday, he will continue his capital-area tour with a visit to the western port city of Incheon.
Lee’s itinerary underscores his campaign’s focus on the Seoul metropolitan area, which accounts for nearly half of the national electorate. His team views the greater capital region as the decisive battleground and is ramping up direct voter engagement in the final stretch.
Former labor minister Kim Moon-soo is delivering a different message, one centered on social welfare and cultural policy. On Tuesday morning, Kim will meet with representatives from the Korean Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations in Yangcheon District, where he plans to pledge stronger support for the arts and sign a policy agreement with local artists.
Later in the day, Kim is scheduled to visit Namboo Market in Seoul’s Gangseo District to meet merchants and check grocery prices. He will then head to Yeongdeungpo District, where he plans to visit a densely packed shantytown to hear directly from residents living in vulnerable housing conditions. His campaign says he will use the visit to highlight the need for stronger protections and better living standards for the urban poor.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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