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Kim fights to unite the right as conservatives defect to Lee
Presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is widening his political tent, drawing in a wave of conservative defectors as his rival candidate, Kim Moon-soo, scrambles to unify a fractured party and revive a faltering bid to forge an anti-Lee alliance beyond party lines. With just two weeks to go until South Korea’s early presidential election on June 3, the two leading contenders, Lee representing the liberal Democratic Party of Korea and Kim the conservative People Power Party, are charting sharply d
May 20, 2025 -
Debate over Gender Ministry reenters presidential campaign
The debate over abolishing the government’s Gender Ministry has been reignited in this year’s presidential campaign through pledges by top candidates. Last week, Lee Jun-seok, the candidate for the minor conservative New Reform Party, revived his earlier pledge from the 2022 presidential election campaign to shutter the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family for good. He included the goal as part of his top policy pledge, saying the ministry’s responsibilities would be redistributed to the Minis
May 20, 2025 -
PPP proposes TV debate between candidates' spouses, Lee Jae-myung rejects
Rep. Kim Yong-tae, the conservative People Power Party's interim chair, proposed on Tuesday a televised debate between candidates' spouses before early in-person voting for the presidential election in South Korea begins next week. At a press conference Tuesday, Kim said his party proposed a TV debate between Seol Nan-young, wife of the party's candidate Kim Moon-soo; and Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of liberal Democratic Party of Korea candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung. "A first lady is not just a presiden
May 20, 2025 -
Minor party's Lee says 'no intention' of merging candidacy with PPP's Kim
The presidential candidate of the minor New Reform Party, Lee Jun-seok, said Tuesday he has "no intention" of merging candidacies with People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo, drawing a line about a possible candidacy merger with the election just two weeks away. Lee made the remarks during an interview with SBS radio amid speculation over a potential merger of their candidacies to challenge Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, the campaign's front-runner who holds about 50 percent in rec
May 20, 2025 -
DP's Lee, PPP's Kim vie for votes in crucial battleground for 2nd day
Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo were set for their campaign rallies in the greater Seoul area Tuesday, as they seek to reach out to centrist voters. With just two weeks until the June 3 presidential election, Lee will crisscross Gyeonggi Province, while Kim will appeal to voters in Seoul. The greater Seoul area is home to about half of the population of 52 million, making it a key battleground in the election that will pick a successor to fo
May 20, 2025 -
With about 2 weeks left, Korean voters use YouTube to 'feel out' candidates
After months of political upheaval, from last December’s martial law crisis to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment this April, South Korea has entered a full-blown election sprint. In an early presidential race few saw coming until late last year, candidates and voters alike are navigating a compressed, high-stakes campaign ahead of the June 3 vote. Amid this rush, voters across the country are increasingly turning to YouTube for candid, unfiltered glimpses into the personalities, values and a
May 20, 2025 -
Voting for June 3 election begins Tuesday with overseas Koreans
The National Election Commission announced Monday that overseas voting for South Korea's June 3 presidential election kicks off Tuesday, granting some 260,000 registered South Korean voters in 118 countries access to polling stations. Of the 223 overseas polling stations worldwide, 137 will operate daily for the full six-day voting period, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. While operating hours may vary at other locations, all polling stations will close by 5 p.m. local time on Sund
May 19, 2025 -
Kim looks to Lee Jun-seok for merger as Election Day draws near
With Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung maintaining his strong lead in opinion polls, People Power Party's presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo appears to be courting the endorsement of his minor conservative rival. New Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok, meanwhile, has continued to rule out the possibility of a merger. "(Lee and I) share the same thoughts and same policies, but are currently separated because (the People Power Party) has made a wrong move," Kim told reporters fol
May 19, 2025 -
Lee Jae-myung won't 'rush into any deals' on Trump tariffs
Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung said he would not rush any deals with US President Donald Trump on his tariff policies. At the first televised debate between presidential candidates Sunday, Lee said he does not think the US will stick to the tariff rates that were initially announced. "There will be room for negotiation. We shouldn't rush into anything," he said. "I wouldn't rush any deals." People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo, on the other hand, said he
May 19, 2025 -
Storm in a coffee cup? PPP blasts Lee Jae-myung over cafe comment
The conservative People Power Party intensified its attacks on liberal presidential candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung for a second consecutive day on Monday, accusing him of misrepresenting the struggles of small business owners. The party seized on Lee’s recent remarks suggesting that coffee shops are highly profitable due to the low cost of coffee beans, turning coffee into the party's latest political weapon. Rep. Kim Yong-tae, interim chair of the People Power Party, said Monday that Lee's remark
May 19, 2025 -
PPP’s Kim Moon-soo flags potential US troop cut under Trump as key concern
Conservative People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo on Monday flagged the potential reduction of US troops in South Korea by US President Donald Trump as a key security concern. “If President Trump calls for an increase in South Korea’s share of the defense burden for the stationing of US Forces Korea, I think a moderate increase is acceptable,” Kim said during a luncheon event hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. “But what concerns me is the possibility of a redu
May 19, 2025 -
Who's ahead: Kim Moon-soo's support rises after confirmed as PPP candidate
Liberal Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung garnered 50.2 percent support in recent poll results — a slight 1.9 percentage point drop from the previous week, when the rival People Power Party wrestled to unify around a single nominee. Realmeter, a polling agency, released the outcomes Monday after conducting a phone survey of 1,509 eligible voters aged 18 and over nationwide from May 14 to May 16. Conservative People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo recorded 35.6 percent supp
May 19, 2025 -
Candidates campaign for swing voters in key battleground
Presidential candidates were set to woo swing voters Monday in the key battleground of Seoul, with the election just 15 days away to pick a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his failed martial law bid. Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, the campaign's front-runner, plans to meet with elderly voters, while People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo and Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party will join a forum in Seoul. Although the minor party's Lee, who ha
May 19, 2025 -
Democratic Party's Lee leads People Power Party's Kim 50.2% to 35.6%: poll
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung was leading his People Power Party rival Kim Moon-soo with 50.2 percent support against Kim's 35.6 percent, a survey showed Monday. In a Realmeter survey conducted on 1,509 adults from Wednesday to Friday, candidate Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party came third with 8.7 percent. In a hypothetical two-way contest, the DP's Lee garnered 54.3 percent, trailed by Kim with 40.4 percent. In a similar scenario against Lee Jun-seok, Lee Jae-m
May 19, 2025 -
Lee Jae-myung defends 'xie xie' comment after 'pro-China' accusation
The Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung defended Sunday comments made Tuesday, arguing that labeling him "pro-China" was "very inappropriate." Lee was speaking in response to a question during a televised debate about his controversial remarks earlier on the campaign trail that he would say "xie xie" (thank you) to both China and Taiwan in the event of a contingency between the two countries. "What I said is that we have to make every decision based on our natio
May 18, 2025