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Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, delivers a speech during a major campaign rally on Dongseong-ro in Daegu on May 13. / (Daegu) Photo by Lee Byung-hwa

On the third day of the presidential campaign, the Democratic Party of Korea pledged to carry forward Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s patriotic spirit, as candidate Lee Jae-myung began a two-day tour of the Busan–Gyeongnam (PK) and Honam regions.

Cho Seung-rae, chief spokesperson for the party's election committee, announced on May 14 that Lee would embark on what the party has dubbed the “Yi Sun-sin National Defense Belt” tour, moving from Busan to South Jeolla Province. “Lee is reinforcing his role as the commander-in-chief of crisis response,” Cho said.

The two-day journey, aimed at advancing regional development and integration across the southeastern and southwestern coasts, begins in Busan—Korea’s logistics and maritime hub—and will pass through Changwon, Tongyeong, Geoje, Hadong, Gwangyang, Yeosu, Suncheon, and Mokpo.

Lee’s first stop on May 14 was the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan at 10:30 a.m., honoring the fallen UN soldiers of the Korean War and reaffirming his commitment to peace and strong national defense.

At 12 p.m., he held a campaign rally in Seomyeon, Busan’s busiest commercial district, outlining his vision for the city’s maritime future and pledging decisive action.

In a third event, Lee conducted a live YouTube broadcast from a campaign bus en route to South Gyeongsang Province, continuing a series of mobile conversations with the public. The day’s livestream featured a dialogue with Professor Kim Tae-yoo of Seoul National University on the Northern Sea Route.

At 2:30 p.m., Lee held a rally in Changwon, a major industrial hub for defense, plant, and heavy equipment industries, before heading to Tongyeong and later, at 6:30 p.m., to Geoje—South Korea’s shipbuilding capital—where he shared his vision for transforming the region into a next-generation shipbuilding and marine innovation center.

On May 15, Lee’s campaign continues along the southwestern coast. He begins the day at 10:20 a.m. with a YouTube livestream from Hwagae Market, engaging in a roundtable with young voters from both Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions to discuss jobs, housing, childbirth, and childcare.

At 12:30 p.m., Lee visits Gwangyang, a key hub for steel, shipping, and logistics industries, including the stadium of the Jeonnam Dragons, founded by POSCO. At 2 p.m., he holds a major rally at Yi Sun-sin Square in Yeosu—site of Admiral Yi’s legendary naval battles—to highlight his vision for maritime sovereignty and innovation.

At 3:50 p.m., Lee travels to Suncheon, meeting citizens in Yeonhyang-dong’s fashion district to promote sustainable urban development based on local community models. His final stop will be in Mokpo at 7 p.m., hometown of former President Kim Dae-jung, where he will evoke the reformist spirit of Kim and fellow former President Kim Young-sam.

The campaign will also feature two policy announcements: one on shipbuilding industry reforms during the Geoje visit on May 14, and another on education transformation on May 15.