Seoul: Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo geared up to intensify their campaigns targeting swing voters on Friday, marking the second and final day of early voting. The presidential election is only four days away, and the candidates are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to secure votes.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Thursday's early voting turnout reached a record 19.58 percent, the highest for the first day since the early voting system was introduced. By 7 a.m. on Friday, total turnout had increased to 20.41 percent. Approximately 44.3 million voters are eligible to participate in the June 3 election, which has been overshadowed by political turmoil following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt at martial law.
Candidates have been urging citizens to cast their votes during the two-day early voting period, asserting that high turnout would be advantageous in the three-way race, which also includes Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party.
On Friday, the DP's Lee Jae-myung planned campaign stops in Chuncheon and Wonju in Gangwon Province, followed by Chungju in North Chungcheong Province. This marks Lee's first visit to Gangwon during the official campaign period. Both Gangwon and North Chungcheong Provinces are crucial battlegrounds, as Lee previously lost to Yoon Suk Yeol in these areas during the 2022 presidential election.
Meanwhile, the PPP's Kim Moon-soo embarked on a 90-hour nonstop overnight campaign tour across the nation in a final bid to galvanize voter support. Kim's schedule included campaign rallies in Gapyeong, Icheon, and Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province, before moving on to Chungju and Jecheon in North Chungcheong, and finally to Wonju and Chuncheon in Gangwon.
The latest poll released on Wednesday showed DP's Lee leading with 49.2 percent, followed by PPP's Kim at 36.8 percent, and Lee Jun-seok at 10.3 percent support.