"As the ferry Sewol will be pulled up today, we decided to refrain from excessive electioneering," an official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The decision apparently comes as election campaigns or any other news may be viewed as an attempt to direct public attention from the emotional recovery of the ship that sank in April 2014, leaving 304 people, mostly high school students, dead.

Speaking to reporters in North Jeolla Province, Moon expressed hope for a successful recovery of the ship.

"With all the rest of the nation, I sincerely hope the ship will be safely recovered and all missing persons will return to their families," he was quoted as saying.

Nine people remain missing since the 2014 sinking of the ship, one of major reasons the government decided to spend some 200 billion won ($178.6 million) to recover the ship.

The government's failure to properly respond and save their lives at the time sparked public anger and was one of grounds of the parliamentary impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.

She was dismissed on March 10.

The government earlier said the ship may be lifted above the water at around 3 p.m. Thursday.

Moon, a former leader of the Democratic Party, is currently competing against three other contenders in a party primary set to end April 3.(Yonhap)