When Will Official Campaigning for South Korea's Presidential Election Begin?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Campaigning begins: Official campaigning starts Monday, following candidate registration.
- Election context: The election is a response to the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
- Leading candidates: Lee Jae-myung vs. Kim Moon-soo.
- Campaign strategies: Each candidate has unique approaches to attract voters.
- Voter engagement: Candidates will be active in public places to engage with voters.
Seoul, May 11 (NationPress) The official campaigning for the presidential election scheduled for June 3 is set to kick off this week, coinciding with the conclusion of candidate registration on Sunday.
The campaign period, which will last for 22 days, will commence on Monday, enabling candidates and their teams to deliver speeches in public areas from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., hand out leaflets and other promotional materials, and display campaign banners, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
This election, prompted by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol due to his unsuccessful martial law attempt in December, has emerged as a rivalry between Lee Jae-myung from the liberal Democratic Party and Kim Moon-soo representing the conservative People Power Party.
Kim's candidacy was officially confirmed on Saturday after a period of internal conflict within the party regarding who would be more effective in challenging Lee, who has consistently held a significant lead in popularity polls.
Lee aims to build on his advantage by appealing to undecided voters with commitments to enhance the economy and improve citizens' quality of life, while also fostering national unity.
In contrast, Kim plans to implement a conservative strategy focused on creating a wide-reaching coalition to oppose Lee.
The effectiveness of this approach will largely depend on his ability to garner support from influential figures such as former Prime Minister Han, Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate from the minor New Reform Party, and other notable political leaders.
On Saturday, the People Power Party (PPP) members voted against a proposal by the party leadership to replace Kim with former Prime Minister Han Duck-woo as the presidential candidate, effectively concluding a week of internal disputes.
Kim, a former labor minister, had won the party's nomination through primaries but faced substantial pressure from the leadership to join campaigns with Han, who had performed better in hypothetical matchups against front-runner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party.