Seoul: Four presidential candidates are gearing up for a crucial second TV debate on Friday, with just 11 days remaining until the June 3 election. The debate promises to be a spirited confrontation as candidates tackle pressing social issues amid a tightening race.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the election campaign has now reached its midpoint, revealing a competitive landscape. Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung continues to lead in opinion polls, but the gap between him and People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo has significantly narrowed this week. Notably, Lee Jun-seok from the minor New Reform Party (NRP) has achieved his first double-digit support, while Kim has persisted in urging the NRP candidate to consider merging their candidacies for a stronger challenge against the DP's Lee. Despite this, the NRP's Lee announced on Thursday that he will not withdraw his candidacy until Election Day.
A Gallup Korea poll released Friday indicates that support for the DP's Lee stands at 45 percent, with Kim following at 36 percent, and the NRP's Lee at 10 percent. This marks a shift from the previous week, with the DP's Lee experiencing a 6 percentage point drop, while Kim and the NRP's Lee saw gains of 7 and 2 percentage points, respectively.
The debate, scheduled for 8 p.m., will feature participation from the three leading candidates and Kwon Young-kook of the minor Democratic Labor Party, under the auspices of the National Election Commission. Topics of discussion will include strategies to bridge social divisions, promote national unity, and address pension and healthcare reforms, alongside climate change issues.
Lee of the DP is expected to emphasize his aspirations to be a unifying leader capable of bridging ideological and regional divides, highlighting social cohesion as a primary responsibility of the presidency. On the other hand, Kim of the PPP is likely to underscore his personal integrity, contrasting it with his DP rival, who is embroiled in various legal controversies. He may also criticize Lee's policy vision of a "basic society" as overly populist.
The NRP's Lee is anticipated to challenge the DP candidate by referencing his controversies, including allegations of election law violations and misuse of public funds. Additionally, during the debate, the possibility of a candidacy merger between Kim and the NRP's Lee may spark further discourse.
The forthcoming election will determine the successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached following a failed martial law attempt in December.