South Korea: Democratic Party's Presidential Candidates Gear Up for Another Public Debate Ahead of Primaries
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Synopsis
The Democratic Party of South Korea is set to hold its second public debate among presidential candidates on April 23, just days before selecting a candidate for the June 3 elections. Key discussions will focus on pertinent political and economic issues as candidates strive for voter support ahead of the primaries.
Key Takeaways
- Three Democratic Party candidates will debate on April 23.
- The debate will cover key areas like politics and economy.
- Lee Jae-myung leads in opinion polls.
- Two more regional primaries will occur before the candidate selection.
- The presidential election is on June 3.
Seoul, April 23 (NationPress) Three candidates from the Democratic Party (DP) of South Korea are scheduled to engage in their second public debate this Wednesday, just four days prior to the party's selection of its candidate for the upcoming June 3 presidential election.
This debate will feature former DP leader Lee Jae-myung, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon, and Kim Kyung-soo, the former governor of South Gyeongsang Province.
During the 90-minute session, the candidates will share their perspectives on significant topics such as politics, economy, diplomacy, security, and social policy.
Lee, who announced his candidacy earlier this month and is currently leading in opinion polls, has recently secured victories in two regional primaries by substantial margins, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
The DP plans to conduct two additional regional primaries before announcing its presidential candidate on Sunday.
This electoral process was initiated following the ousting of former President Yoon Suk Yeol due to his brief declaration of martial law in December. Lee narrowly lost the presidential race to Yoon in 2022.
In related news, on April 22, the People Power Party (PPP) identified four contenders in the first round of its presidential primary.
The candidates include former Labour Minister Kim Moon-soo, ex-PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, and lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, as stated by the party's election commission.
The selection was based on surveys conducted by five polling firms from Monday to Tuesday, encompassing a total of 4,000 respondents.
The PPP initially had eight candidates, which also included PPP lawmaker Na Kyung-won, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, North Gyeongsang Governor Lee Cheol-woo, and former DP Representative Yang Hyang-ja.
In the second round, two candidates will be chosen through a method that balances votes from party members and public opinion polls. The party is set to confirm its candidate on May 3.
The presidential election is scheduled for June 3, following Yoon's ouster on April 4 due to his controversial martial law proposal.
A recent poll from Realmetre revealed that Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the former DP leader, maintains a commanding lead with 50.2 percent support.
Kim follows with 12.2 percent, while Han and Hong received 8.5 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively.
Despite the conservative candidates intensifying their political criticism of Lee, the PPP appears to be struggling with Lee's robust lead in the polls.
Last week, a proposal to establish a new political party in support of Yoon was postponed.
Rep. Lee Yang-soo of the PPP expressed that such a plan would negatively affect the party's standing as the presidential election approaches.
Candidates must register by May 11, with the official campaign period commencing on May 12.
The law stipulates that any public servant running for President must resign at least 30 days before the election, setting May 4 as the deadline.
The newly elected President will take office immediately after the election without a transition team.
