Much of the debate turned retrospective as they tussled over which preceding government was more responsible for problems such as the country’s sky-high college tuitions and its lackluster space and IT capabilities.

Mudslinging escalated as the two pummeled each other over allegations of illicit campaigning, including the DUP’s claim that the National Intelligence Service attempted to illegally intervene in the campaign, and the Saenuri Party’s assertion that the opposition was running an unauthorized campaign office.

A war of words erupted when Park criticized Moon for advocating a radical teachers’ union and Moon accused her of having a biased view against the group.

The debate organized by the National Election Commission was considered a crucial chance for the candidates to win over the remaining undecided voters as their campaigns smeared with negativity and accusations overshadowed the earlier pledges for a clean competition of policies.

The 100-minute debate was sans the two-time partaker Lee Jung-hee of the minor Unified Progressive Party, who dropped out from the race just hours before the debate.

Looking tense, the candidates only cracked a smile when the moderator asked them to relax and offer each other words of encouragement. Both curtly said they were sure the other would do a good job in the showdown.

Aware that their fate in three days hinged on their every single move and word, both candidates appeared on edge and focused as they sat face-to-face at the studio of KBS.

As the debate warmed up, Moon was seen to take the lead by throwing numbers and details at Park for verification with regard to her financing plans for medical subsidies, shifting the discussion on to his turf.

Park, for her part, questioned Moon’s level of responsibility for rising college tuition fees as a member of the former Roh Moo-hyun government, when he was the presidential chief of staff.

“If I become president, I will stick by my promise to the people and achieve a change of the generation that goes beyond the change of the administration. As the first woman president in (Korean history), I will prioritize state administration on people’s happiness,” Park said.

In his turn, Moon urged voters to head to polls and said, “The start of all the problems faced in our politics is an imperialistic president … Without a mind open to communicating with and accompanying the people, economic democratization, welfare state or politics on unity are impossible.”

On low birthrate and aging society

In the first theme, the two presidential candidates agreed on the need to tackle the country’s low birthrate and aging society but clashed over details and financial feasibility.

“Giving birth to a child should be a blessing, but many women leave the workplace. I have a daughter who also quit her job to raise children. It is a mother’s job to give birth to the children, but it is the state’s duty to raise them,” Moon said. “This is why we need to implement programs for free children’s meals, free child care and halving tuition,” he added.

Park, meanwhile, stressed that the country must foster an increase in the fertility rate by improving child-care support and working conditions for women. She vowed to expand support for senior citizens and said she has a concrete plan to finance her welfare programs.

But the two attacked each other’s proposals for financing such programs as unrealistic.

Park criticized Moon’s “universal welfare” pledges including monthly child support and placing a 1 million won ($925) ceiling on medical bills, saying they would cost much more than what he has calculated.

“Moon’s plan to provide child support alone would cost 7 trillion won a year. Many countries such as Japan that have already started providing child support have abolished the program due to a lack of resources. Would Moon’s plan be financially viable?” Park said.

Moon shot back by criticizing Park’s plan to offer full medical support for patients with four major diseases -- cancer, cerebrovascular and cardiac disorders, and terminal illness -- will also cost more than her estimation of 1.5 trillion won in state funds.

The liberal candidate criticized that with 1.5 trillion won, Park could only cover patients suffering with cancer, one of the four major diseases for which she vowed to provide full medical support.

“What am I asking you is, how can you cover medical support for patients with those four major diseases with just 1.5 trillion won? How can this work?” Moon said, adding that the state should be responsible for covering other medical costs such as caregiving and MRIs.

On education reform

On educational issues, they showed sharp divisions over elite schools and measures to curb college tuition fees.

Moon said he would cut the number of so-called elite high schools specializing in foreign languages that have “significantly” contributed to the rising cost of private education.

“Foreign language schools have lost their original purpose of enhancing language education, instead focusing on sending students to top-tier universities,” Moon said.

But Park countered that Moon’s proposal would further disrupt the public education system.

She said education reform should focus on improving school curricula and resources rather than reforming the school system itself.

Park also raised questions about Moon’s relations with the Korean Teachers and Education Worker’s Union.

“(Candidate Moon) has maintained a strong relationship with the unionized teachers, who have strong political motivations and caused a disruption in our public education system,” Park said.

Moon fired back that Park was biased against the teachers’ union and that she even disregarded the teachers’ efforts to change old practices.

Regarding soaring university tuition fees, Moon said he would halve tuition fees for all students of state universities by 2013.

Meanwhile, Park said she would increase government support to provide scholarships according to students’ family income, instead of cutting the entire tuition in half across the board.

On crime and safety

The two candidates were in general agreement over measures to prevent violent crimes and improve public security such as reinforcing the police force but they spent a considerable amount of time on disputes over allegedly illicit campaigning by both sides. Park began the attack accusing the DUP of violating the human rights of an NIS personnel said to have spread negative comments about Moon online. She went on to say that no evidence of any illegal activity has been found, and that Moon has yet to apologize for the developments.

“There is no evidence. (DUP officials) used a method used by sex offenders to find out her address, and prevented her from leaving her home, from seeing her parents for three days,” Park said.

Moon disputed the claims, saying the case was still under investigation and adding that Park’s claim that there was no evidence was an attempt to influence the case.

Moon further retorted by bringing up the case involving an illegal campaign office allegedly funded by one of Park’s campaign aides, and asked whether Park acknowledged that the case exists.

Park, however, avoided a direct answer, saying only that the case was being investigated and that she felt “regret” that such an issue had come up within her campaign.

They also discussed the issue of nuclear safety. Moon argued that the operations of nuclear power plants should be halted as soon as their official life spans expire, highlighting catastrophic ramifications of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011.

Park, however, objected to the immediate suspension of the plants, arguing that a thorough inspection of the plants should be carried out first to assess whether or not they pose any threat to the public.

On science and technology

Regarding science and technology, both Park and Moon stressed the need to establish a separate “control tower.” They noted that the current administration’s decision to scrap the Science Ministry dampened the morale in the local science community and undermined national competitiveness in the field.

Park pledged to establish a “Future Creation Science Ministry,” underscoring that strengthening the science sector will be on top of her policy priorities in line with her vision for “creation-based economics.”

Her vision is to create jobs and new markets through new growth engines based on science and technology.

Moon vowed to revive the Science Ministry, stressing that government support for and investment in science and engineering sectors are crucial, and should be pursued with bipartisan efforts in the name of national interest.

Moon also expressed concern over the ongoing moves to privatize the state-funded Korea Aerospace Industries, saying that the government should support the aerospace industry with a long-term vision.

Park, meanwhile, said that caution should be taken as there are many arguments over the pros and cons of the privatization of the country’s sole aircraft maker.

To help boost areas of research and development, the two candidates agreed on the need to turn irregular, contract-based researchers into regular ones, improve their working conditions, increase the budgets for R&D projects and institute necessary benefits and incentives for researchers.


By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)

Cho Chung-un, Choi He-suk, Song Sang-ho and Oh Kyu-wook contributed to this report. –Ed.