Seoul: Four presidential candidates sparred over social issues in their second TV debate Friday, with the June 3 election just 11 days away. Pension and healthcare reforms were among the key agenda items at the debate, hosted by the National Election Commission.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung, the front-runner, engaged in a heated debate with Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party (NRP), who questioned him on the funding sources for expanded healthcare benefits. DP candidate Lee stressed the need to "comprehensively support nursing and caregiving with the scope permitted by healthcare finances." He emphasized the necessity to expand healthcare support based on financial conditions, taking into account factors like beneficiaries and types of illnesses.
Lee Jun-seok emphasized the need for prioritization, arguing that the required expenditure is much larger than planned. He raised concerns about the potential for significantly increased health insurance premiums.
Nuclear energy was another topic at the debate. The NRP's Lee criticized former President Moon Jae-in, also of the DP, for consistently doubting the safety of nuclear power and hindering overseas sales of Korean nuclear technology. DP candidate Lee countered this, arguing that while nuclear power appears relatively cheap, it could become a "very expensive energy source considering waste disposal costs and risk costs." He clarified that he has never claimed Korean nuclear power plants are dangerous and suggested that existing plants should be used longer. However, he questioned the viability of building additional nuclear power plants, asking where suitable sites could be located.
As the election campaign passed its halfway point, opinion polls still put DP candidate Lee in front, but the gap between Lee and People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo had narrowed this week. NRP candidate Lee garnered his first double-digit support, as Kim continued to appeal to the NRP candidate to merge their candidacies to better challenge the DP's Lee. On Thursday, the NRP's Lee declared that he would not drop his candidacy until Election Day.
A Gallup Korea poll released Friday showed support for the DP's Lee at 45 percent, followed by Kim with 36 percent and the NRP's Lee with 10 percent. Compared with a week ago, the DP's Lee lost 6 percentage points, while Kim and the NRP's Lee gained 7 percentage points and 2 percentage points, respectively. The upcoming election will choose a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached over a botched martial law attempt in December.