Presidential candidates begin official campaigns

Feb 16, 2022, 09:16 am

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Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), the Justice Party’s Sim Sang-jung and the People’s Party’s Ahn Cheol-soo began their official campaigns for the 20th presidential election on February 15, 2022./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Lee Wook-jae

Ahead of the 20th presidential election, presidential candidates kicked off their formal campaigns Tuesday. The ruling Democratic Party’s candidate Lee Jae-myung stressed the importance of national unity, while the main opposition People Power Party’s candidate Yoon Suk-yeol emphasized for change of administration. Sim Sang-jung of the progressive Justice Party called for the end of bipartisan politics and Ahn Cheol-soo of the centrist People’s Party pledged for the second miracle of the Han River.

The country’s race for the top office has become more unpredictable than ever as the issue of fielding single opposition candidate remains a variable amid fierce competition between Lee Jae-myung and Yoon Suk-yeol. On the first day of the official campaign period, Lee visited Busan, Daegu and Daejeon before coming back to Seoul while Yoon started his campaign in Seoul before heading to Daejeon, Daegu and Busan.

Lee started his campaign Tuesday at midnight in Busan at the Vessel Traffic Service Center to meet and encourage workers of export-operated ships. He apparently chose the location as the first official campaign stop to show his emphasis on boosting the economy.

In the morning, Lee stood on a stage of a canvassing truck in front of Bujeon Station in Busan, and promised to hire talent regardless of their political background. “When I see good policies, I will implement them regardless of who came up with it. Even if it is a policy from Hong Joon-pyo or Park Chung-hee, I will use them if they are good,” Lee said. Hong Joon-pyo is a long-time conservative leader, and Park Chung-hee is the late former president and a symbolic figure for the conservative bloc. Lee said that he would do anything to benefit the people, stressing national unity.

PPP’s Yoon visited Seoul National Cemetery for his first step. “I will build a proud nation together with the great people of the Republic of Korea which has been protected by the dedication of our patriotic martyrs,” he wrote in the guestbook of the Memorial Hall. He then left to Seoul’s Chunggye Square to hold a campaign ceremony, where he urged the people to judge the incapable and corrupt liberal government by achieving a change of power. “I will wrap up the ‘Cheong Wa Dae era’ which reigns over the people, and usher in the Gwanghwamun era that will accompany the people,” Yoon said. “

The Justice Party’s Sim Sang-jung began the campaign at the KTX Honam-line platform in Seoul early in the morning. “The upcoming presidential election is a shameful one with the greatest unfavorable sentiment,” Sim said after holding a campaign ceremony in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. “I promise to go beyond the two-party politics and achieve a future-oriented political change,” she said.

People’s Party’s Ahn Cheol-soo chose Daegu and cities in North Gyeongsang Province as his first stop for the official campaign in an apparent move to win conservative votes and take the lead in the debate of fielding single opposition candidate. “The era when a prosperous country makes people happy is over. A nation becomes prosperous when there are happy people,” he said. “Through the second entry of science and technology, I will create a second miracle on the Han River.”

#presidential candidates #official campaign #Lee Jae-myung #Yoon Suk-yeol