Seoul: Four presidential candidates faced off over diplomacy and political reform, addressing issues from the South Korea-U.S. alliance to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, in their final televised debate. The event, held a week before the election, was hosted by the National Election Commission and began at 8 p.m.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party (DP), Kwon Young-kook of the minor Democratic Labor Party, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (PPP), and Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party (NRP) participated in the debate. Lee of the DP, who is the front-runner, emphasized advancing South Korea's diplomacy in a "pragmatic, comprehensive and forward-looking" manner, focusing on the South Korea-U.S. alliance and security cooperation with Japan. He also highlighted the importance of managing relationships with China and Russia to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Kim of the PPP advocated for a firm approach towards North Korea, condemning the regime's nuclear and missile threats. He pledged to strengthen nuclear deterrence capabilities under the South Korea-U.S. alliance and maintain a steadfast stance against threats. Lee of the NRP proposed merging foreign and unification ministries and creating a new deputy prime minister position to oversee security policy. He also suggested establishing a joint South Korean-U.S. facility for shell manufacturing to respond to potential U.S. defense cost demands.
Kwon focused on military reform by advocating for a civilian defense minister and promoting exchanges for peace on the Korean Peninsula. During the debate, Lee of the DP and Kim of the PPP had a heated discussion about former President Yoon's impeachment and the failed martial law attempt. Kim acknowledged procedural flaws in the impeachment process but deemed it valid as per the Constitutional Court's ruling, while also noting that insurrection allegations should be judged after the ongoing trial at the Seoul Central District Court.
On political reform, Lee proposed constitutional revisions to tighten martial law requirements, limit presidential veto power, and enhance basic rights. Kim aimed for politics that unite people across wealth, political preference, and region. Lee of the NRP claimed he was the right candidate for constitutional reform, citing France's example under President Emmanuel Macron. Meanwhile, Kwon sought constitutional reforms to eliminate discrimination and address labor, agriculture, and climate change issues.
As the election campaign entered its final week, recent polls indicated that DP candidate Lee was leading, though the gap with PPP's Kim had narrowed. Lee of the NRP, who recently gained double-digit support in public polls, dismissed the possibility of merging his candidacy with Kim, despite ongoing speculation.