Daegu: Three presidential candidates ramped up their efforts to win over voters in conservative areas on Tuesday, marking the second day of their official campaigns with the presidential election looming just 21 days away. The June 3 election comes in the wake of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, following his failed attempt to declare martial law in December. The race is primarily between Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party (DP), Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (PPP), and Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee Jae-myung, who is currently leading in various opinion polls with around 50 percent support, targeted the conservative strongholds of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, areas traditionally dominated by the PPP. During a campaign stop at Gumi Station, Lee, who was born in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, questioned why he struggles to gain 20 percent support in the region. He reflected on the legacy of former President Park Chung-hee, acknowledging Park's controversial role in South Korea's industrialization despite his repressive tactics.
Kim Moon-soo of the PPP focused on consolidating conservative support by visiting Daegu, Ulsan, and Busan. He began his campaign by paying respects at the National Sinam Memorial Park in Daegu and launched the party's regional campaign committee at the PPP's Daegu office. Kim, who once opposed former President Park, shared his change of heart, symbolized by laying flowers on Park's grave. He emphasized his commitment to bolstering the local economy, a central theme of his campaign, with plans to visit key economic sites and engage with trade unions.
Meanwhile, Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party campaigned in Daegu, interacting with students at Kyungpook National University and discussing health care policies with medical professionals. His itinerary also included meetings with local merchants at Chilseong Market.
Amidst the campaign activities, the Democratic Party announced plans to report Kim Moon-soo to the police for allegedly violating the Political Funds Act. The DP accused Kim of raising approximately 170 million won through YouTube's Super Chat feature, which allows content creators to receive highlighted messages and donations during live streams. DP Rep. Park Beom-gye argued that such donations resemble illegal political funds.
In response, the PPP dismissed the allegations as a "smear campaign," asserting that revenues from Super Chat do not constitute illicit political funding. The disagreement over the legality of Super Chat donations adds another layer of complexity to the already contentious presidential race.