Presidential candidates register for March 9 election

Feb 14, 2022, 05:30 am

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The four main contenders registered on the first day for the March 9 presidential election on Feb. 13, 2022./ Photographed by Lee Byung-hwa

AsiaToday reporter Jeong Geum-min

The presidential candidates of four major parties have registered for the March 9 presidential election on the first day of two-day registration.

Presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People’s Party has officially proposed Yoon Seok-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) to unify candidacy of the opposition bloc. In response, Yoon balked at Ahn’s proposal.

As the unification of opposition candidates has emerged as a major variable ahead of the presidential election, an all-out war among the presidential candidates is expected from Tuesday, when the official election campaign begins.

The ruling Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung completed his candidate registration through delegates. Cha Ji-ho, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and an international health and pandemic expert, and Nam Jin-hee, a youth activist and a chairperson of Gwangju Election Committee, visited the National Election Committee (NEC) in Gyeonggi Province on Sunday to file registration on behalf of Lee.

The DP’s Election Committee issued a statement later Sunday, stating, “The delegates have completed the registration of the candidate for the sixth in the order of the drawing lots.”

After the registration, Lee shared on his Facebook, “I will take full responsibility for the livelihood the people and the future of the country. We will overcome internal and external crises and create new hope.”

Yoon also filed his registration through his delegates - Lee Chul-gyu, strategic planning deputy chief of the PPP’s election committee, and Seo Il-joon, Yoon’s chief secretary. “Deputy chief Lee and chief secretary Seo visited the NEC in Gwacheon to complete the registration,” the PPP’s election committee said.

Candidate Ahn had planned to visit the NEC by himself, but his delegate Lee Tae-gyu registered his candidacy after his wife tested positive for COVID-19.

The Justice Party’s Sim Sang-jung also has registered her candidacy through her three delegates – young workers Kim Ji-soo, Kim Young-hoon and Kang Hye-ji.

The registration of candidates for the presidential election by the NEC will be held for two days. Starting Tuesday, candidates can hold street campaigns, put up election posters, send campaign materials to voters, and release TV and radio commercials through one day before the election.

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