Polls opened across South Korea at 6 a.m. Wednesday in a presidential election that many voters described as a contest of who’s the least worst. Average voter turnout for 9 a.m was reported to be 8.1 percent nationwide, slightly lower than the 9.4 percent at the same time in the previous presidential election in 2017. Lee Jae-myung of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea is vying agains...

With the publication of public surveys withheld before the election, presidential candidates stay on their toes

Undecided voters and young electors main targets on the eve of election

Rapid spread of Newstapa story, reports from alleged key informant raise suspicions

With the presidential election just around the corner, candidates traveled to regions across the nation, in hopes of wooing voters from rival strongholds, and also to appeal to those who have not yet made their mind up. Lee Jae-myung, the major ruling Democratic Party of Korea candidate, visited Jeju Island on Monday for the first time since his official election campaign kicked off. “Candidate...

NEC responds to criticism on its lackluster early voting management for infected voters

Spouses of presidential hopefuls have often been ‘strategic surrogate’ to amass votes, but wives of two front-runners remain away from public eye

Rep. Song Young-gil, head of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, received hospital treatment Monday after being struck by an object wielded by an unidentified man while campaigning for the presidential election in the streets of Sinchon in Seoul. The suspect, arrested at the scene and transferred to a nearby police station, was seen wearing a hanbok-like outfit and was reportedly a YouTuber. H...

Lack of measures for COVID-19 patients leads voters to criticize NEC, even accuse it of electoral fraud

Welfare policies of two leading presidential candidates are similar but appear to lack in details, experts point out

Compared to Yoon, who has promised on multiple occasions he would abolish the Gender Equality Ministry when elected, Lee appears to have a polling advantage when it comes to this particular demographic group. On Thursday, Lee’s election campaign team held a rally in Seoul for women featuring speakers including Park Ji-hyun, the vice chairwoman of Democratic Party of Korea’s women’s committee. Pa...

Whoever wins faced with bringing bipartisan politics as part of keeping promises

People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok on Friday dismissed rumors of a co-chairmanship with Ahn Cheol-soo as various rumors about Ahn‘s next steps arose since his stepping out of the race. Ahn, the chairman of the minor opposition People’s Party, conceded his candidacy to the People Power Party’s Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday. There were rumors about Ahn‘s next moves, including one about him possi...

Record turnout expected from heated race between Lee and Yoon

Tech mogul-turned-politician steps down from election for fourth time